As the world marks International Day of Forests, a simple story from eastern Uganda stands out.

Each morning, Grace Nafula walks into a small forest behind her home. From beekeeping to medicinal plants and fuelwood, that forest is her income, energy source, and safety net.

Her reality reflects a bigger truth: across East Africa, forests quietly function as economic infrastructure. Over 80% of households rely on wood fuel, and forest products can contribute up to 30–40% of rural incomes.

Yet forests remain underfunded and undervalued.

When they disappear, communities lose far more than trees—they lose livelihoods, food security, and resilience.

It’s time to rethink priorities:
🌿 Treat forests as productive national assets
🌿 Invest in community management
🌿 Scale up climate and restoration finance

Because forests don’t just support life—they power economies.