International Forest Day

• 25 Mar 2025

Why in News? 

International Forests Day celebrations were organized on 21st March, 2025 at Rajasthan International Centre (RIC), Jaipur. 

• On this occasion, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan launched  several programs related to forest conservation, tourism and climate change . 

 Key Points 

• About the programs: 
  • The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of Forest Training and Management Institute in Jaipur. 
  • Eco tourism facilities were introduced in Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary and electric golf carts were introduced  in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur and Nahargarh Biological Park . 
  • Soil Health Card and logo of Climate Change Response and Ecosystem Services Enhancement (CRESEP) in Rajasthan were unveiled.  
  • DG-Forest App was inaugurated , which is based on IT technology to enhance transparency in the Forest Department . 
  • Kits were distributed to Vanmitras and women forest personnel working in the field were honoured.  
• International Forest Day: 
  • The International Day of Forests began as “World Forestry Day” established in 1971 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) . 
  • It was formally recognised by  the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. 
  • It aims to raise awareness about forest conservation and sustainable management . 
  • The theme of International Day of Forests 2025 is "Forests and Food" . 

 Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary  

• About:  
  • Situated in the Aravalli hills, approximately 20 kilometres from Jaipur, Rajasthan.  
  • Named after Nahargarh Fort, an 18th-century fort built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur.  
  • Covers an area of 720 hectares.  
  • Includes Nahargarh Biological Park, renowned for its lion safaris.  
• Flora: Comprises dry deciduous forests, scrublands, and grasslands.  
• Fauna:  
  • Mammals:  
    • Common species include leopards, wild boars, deer, lions, tigers, sloth bears, and various small mammals.  
  • Birds:  
    • A paradise for bird watchers, featuring species such as peacocks, owls, and eagles.  
  • Reptiles and Amphibians:  
    • Home to reptiles like Indian rock pythons and monitor lizards.  
    • Amphibians such as frogs and toads are also found here. 

 Keoladeo National Park 

• Introduction:  
  • Keoladeo National Park is a wetland and bird sanctuary located in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of  the most important bird sanctuaries in the world. 
    • Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) were recognised  as India's first Ramsar sites in 1981 . 
    • Currently, Keoladeo National Park and Loktak Lake (Manipur)  are listed in the Montreux Record . 
  • It is famous for its rich bird diversity and abundance of water birds . The park is home to over 365 species of birds , including many rare and endangered species , such as the Siberian crane .   
• Rivers :   
  • The Gambhir and Banganga rivers flow through this national park.