Mr Samuel Afari Dartey, Chief Executive of Forestry Commission on Monday urged the youth to eschew apathy and take the management and protection of forest resources seriously to ensure its sustainability.

He said the youth were the seed for the future and must join the campaign to secure the forest which depended on clean air, secured food, regulated climate and uninterrupted water supply.

Mr Dartey made the call at the first launch of the Forestry Commission Week to mark World Forestry Day on Wednesday March 21, on the theme: ‘Forests, Our Hope, Our Future’.

He explained that, the theme was chosen to involve and incorporate the youth who formed a critical percentage of the population and workforce to appreciate the enormity and challenges associated with the management of forest resources.

Mr Dartey said the United Nations General Assembly declared March 21, every year as the World Forestry Day to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

He stressed that the United Nations declared 2011 the International Year of Forest, to promote its management as the world lost about 13 million hectares of forest cover annually mainly in the tropical forests of South America and Africa.

Mr Dartey explained that the forest was the basis of life which contributed towards environmental, economic, social advancement of humanity, adding that the forest covered over 30 per cent of the earth’s surface.

He noted that, the Commission was committed to its mandate of protecting forest resources, stressing that the protection of forest resources must be the responsibility of all.

Mr Dartey commended government for the introduction of the youth in plantation programme which had generated over 20,000 jobs and said the onus was on the youth to accept opportunities made available and improve on their socio-economic well being.

"With massive plantations, respect for forest laws and effective traditional practices, the country would become a beacon of hope and a model; in the protection of the forest resources,” he added.

Mr Dartey said as part of the activities of the celebration, they had lined up programmes to give meaning to the occasion such as tree planting, clean-up exercise and a grand durbar.

Other activities are radio and television discussions, field trip to Ankasa and Cape Three Point Forest Reserve and a seminar on business opportunities in forestry.

Mr Dartey explained that the durbar would talk on the contribution of forest to humanity and the importance of forest to eco-tourism.**