Illustration of animals and indigenous people among the branches of a forest.
Though World Wildlife Day is an annual celebration, wildlife conservation is an issue that needs attention and action every day. #DoOneThingToday to make a difference and help wildlife conservation.
Photo:World Wildlife Day/Gabe Wong

Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet


Between 200 and 350 million people live within or adjacent to forested areas around the world, relying on the various ecosystem services provided by forest and forest species for their livelihoods and to cover their most basic needs, including food, shelter, energy and medicines.

Roughly 28% of the world’s land surface is currently managed by indigenous peoples, including some of the most ecologically intact forests on the planet. These spaces are not only central to their economic and personal well-being, but also to their cultural identities.


This day will celebrate forest-based livelihoods and seek to promote forest and forest wildlife management practices that accommodate both human well-being and the long-term conservation of forests and promote the value of traditional practices that contribute to establishing a more sustainable relationship with these crucial natural systems.

Get involved

Share what you've learned with your friends and family.

Spread the word. especially to children and youth. They are the future leaders of wildlife conservation and they deserve a future where we humans live in harmony with wildlife that share the planet with us. Here are some outreach materials.

Remember to use the hashtags #WorldWildlifeDay #WWD2021 #ForestPeoplePlanet

The incalculable value of wildlife




António Guterres
World Wildlife Day poster



The world is dealing with unprecedented threats to wildlife. Illegal wildlife trade continues to pose a real danger to biodiversity, ecosystems and human health, as a number of emerging diseases stem from animal products, both domestic and wild. Here are three ways that UNEP works to address this illegal trade.

Related links

Related international days

The forest in Indonesia

This year's International film festival focuses on the immense value of our planet's forests and the millions of human livelihoods they sustain. Winners and finalist films entered into the competition will be shown throughout 2021, spreading the message that the forests are pillars of humanity’s social and economic well-being, as well as key elements of the planet’s environmental health and biological diversity.

Illustration of a Koala hanging on a branch while a forest fire burns in the background.

Youth are the leaders of tomorrow. Children have a natural affinity for both animals and plants, as well as art, and they are more and more aware of the challenges facing the planet. This year’s contest is an opportunity to highlight multiple global environmental crises faced by forest ecosystems and the wildlife and humans within, from climate change to biodiversity loss. Discover this year's finalists!

A crowd of women sitting and laughing
