International Day of Forests 2026

International Day of Forests 2026

1. Theme: Forests and Economies

The theme of International Day of Forests 2026 - “Forests and Economies,” led by the Food and Agriculture Organization, highlights a powerful and timely insight: forests are not just ecological assets, but the foundation of economic prosperity, human health, and sustainable development. They generate livelihoods, create employment, provide renewable raw materials, and support a growing bioeconomy that offers viable alternatives to carbon-intensive systems. At the same time, forests sustain critical ecosystem services - water security, soil health, climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and agricultural productivity.

At the University of Transdisciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru, this vision is deeply embedded and has been actively demonstrated for over three decades, building on the pioneering work of Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT). Established in 2013, TDU advances a transdisciplinary approach that integrates Ayurveda, ecology, natural sciences, social sciences, and technology to design socially relevant, nature-based solutions.

At its core, TDU’s mission is to revitalize India’s community-rooted health knowledge systems by creating a scientifically informed interface between traditional knowledge and modern science. This approach enables the development of context-specific solutions that connect forest conservation with human and animal health, sustainable livelihoods, and long-term ecological resilience, demonstrating how forests can serve as both life-support systems and engines of inclusive, sustainable economies.

2. Forests as Health-Economy and Knowledge Systems

TDU’s work is grounded in the understanding that forests are both living health-economy systems and knowledge systems, where biodiversity - especially medicinal and food (wild - neglected and underutilized) plants - sustains healthcare, nutrition, livelihoods, and cultural knowledge. Through a nationwide network of 108 Medicinal Plants Conservation Areas (MPCAs), developed in partnership with State Forest Departments, TDU has helped establish one of the world’s largest in-situ conservation initiatives. This effort secures wild gene pools while strengthening ecosystem resilience and safeguarding bio-cultural knowledge embedded in these landscapes.

By viewing forests not merely as resources but as dynamic repositories of knowledge and economic value, TDU demonstrates that conserving medicinal plant diversity directly supports traditional healthcare systems, emerging nature-based industries, and long-term ecological and economic sustainability.

3. From Conservation to Bioeconomy

A key contribution of TDU lies in translating biodiversity conservation into sustainable economic opportunities through a continuum of science, knowledge systems, and practice. This includes the development of a nationally significant herbarium and taxonomic facility, along with multi-disciplinary databases and digital knowledge platforms that support research, education, and community outreach.

Building on this foundation, TDU advances research in Ayurveda Biology - spanning cognition, metabolic health, nutrition, food futures, and genomics - alongside the evidence-based validation of traditional formulations.

These efforts are translated into functional foods, nutraceuticals, and plant-based innovations, while also strengthening sustainable value chains for medicinal and food plants. Through the promotion of sustainable harvesting Practices of key medicinal plant species, TDU aims at reducing pressure on wild populations and ensure quality, safety, and traceability of raw materials.

Together, these initiatives contribute to a responsible and inclusive bioeconomy, where forest resources generate value while maintaining ecological integrity and long-term sustainability.

4. Community-Centred Forest Economies

A defining strength of TDU is its focus on community-linked knowledge systems. By revitalising Local Health Traditions and ethnoveterinary practices, TDU connects forests directly to rural economies and well-being. Its programmes support:

• Food forage forest systems and Home herbal gardens.

• Training in ecosystem-specific nutrition and healthcare

• Sustainable livelihoods based on medicinal plants

• Reduced dependence on external inputs, including antibiotics in livestock

This approach reinforces the idea that local communities are co-creators of sustainable forest economies.

5. Science, Education and Practice

TDU’s impact is strengthened through its integrated education and clinical research ecosystem:

• A 100-bed healthcare research centre serving ~50,000 people annually

• Transdisciplinary education programs spanning students, healers, farmers, and professionals

• Research that bridges traditional knowledge with modern science for real-world applications

6. Education and Co-existence

Through innovative educational programs and co-existence initiatives, TDU trains a diverse group of stakeholders - from students and forest officers to community healers and entrepreneurs - fostering a new generation committed to sustainable forest management and nature-based solutions.

7. A Way Forward

The message of “Forests and Economies” is clear: economic growth and ecological sustainability must go hand in hand. TDU’s work shows that when traditional knowledge is revitalized and integrated with modern science, forests can become engines of health, livelihoods, and climate resilience.

On this International Day of Forests 2026, we at TDU, calls for collective action to:

• Recognize forests as foundations of health and economic well-being

• Invest in medicinal plant conservation and sustainable value chains

• Promote community-led, knowledge-driven forest economies

• Build bioeconomy pathways rooted in biodiversity and tradition

Dr. Atul Kumar Gupta, IFS (Retd.)

Professor, NRM, WL, BD

TDU, Bengaluru

LinkedIN