Today, March 21 is International Day of Forests. Did you know that forests cover one-third of the Earth’s land mass and are important not only to an immense amount of animals but us as well. This day celebrates and encourages local, national and international efforts to organize activities and awareness of trees and tree plantings. Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. An estimated 18 million acres of forest, which is roughly the size of Panama, are lost each year according to the United Nations’s Food and Agriculture Organization. The Park District enjoys the many trees we have on our park properties such as Knox Woods State Nature Preserve. Knox Woods was recently inducted into the Old Growth Forest Network and what an honor to preserve such growth in Knox County.