MLNR, Forestry Commission to mark 2026 International Day of Forests with university debate

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), in collaboration with the Forestry Commission (FC), has announced a series of activities to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Forests (IDF), with a high-level inter-university debate taking centre stage.

The event, marked globally on March 21, will be observed in Ghana under the theme “Forests and Economies,” spotlighting the vital contribution of forests to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.

As part of the celebrations, students from the University of Ghana (UG) and the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) will engage in a debate on March 19.

The motion for debate reads: “The economic value of forests should be measured solely in terms of timber and non-timber forest products.”

A balloting session held at the Forestry Commission Headquarters in Accra determined the sides for the contest.

Representing UG are Mr. Kwaku Woelorm Agbedanu, a Level 200 BSc Business Administration student, and Ms. Abundance T. Adeleye, a Level 400 BA Psychology student. Both are executives of the UG Debate Society and will argue for the motion.

UPSA will be represented by Mr. Richard Graham, a Level 400 Bachelor of Laws student and President of the UPSA Debate Club, who will argue against the motion.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Dr. Hugh Brown, the Executive Director of the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD), Dr. Richard Gyimah, praised the students for their participation.

He noted that the debate is aimed at engaging the youth, who will become future leaders and custodians of the nation’s natural resources.

“The debate is targeted at the youth who will be the future frontliners of the various institutions. It is important that they understand forest protection and its associated issues. The FC is ready to offer support towards preparations for the debate competition. I wish you well,” he said.

The International Day of Forests was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012.

The Day is set aside to raise awareness about the importance of all types of forests and trees outside forest ecosystems.

Member states are encouraged to organise national and local activities focused on forest conservation, sustainable management, and tree planting.

Over the years, MLNR and the Forestry Commission have led nationwide tree-planting and public education campaigns to mark the occasion.

In 2025, President John Dramani Mahama launched the Tree for Life (T4L) Reforestation Initiative at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region as part of the IDF celebrations.

An assessment conducted at the end of the year revealed that more than 31 million tree seedlings were successfully planted across all 16 regions of Ghana under the initiative.

As the country prepares to mark the 2026 celebration, organisers say the debate and related activities will further deepen public discourse on the economic, environmental, and social value of Ghana’s forest resources.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith