4 May 2015: The Forestry Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has produced a set of key messages to raise public awareness on the links between forests and soils, as part of the 2015 International Year of Soils (IYS 2015).

The forestry messages highlight the interrelated role of forests and soils in five key areas: carbon capture and storage (CCS); sustainable soil and forest management; ecosystem benefits, such as clean water and watershed management; sustainable soil management in drylands; and reduced vulnerability of mountain soils to degradation.

The messages are part of a series of communications on the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions being produced as part of IYS 2015. The overall objective of IYS 2015 is to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions. [FAO Forestry Key Messages] [FAO Forestry Website] [IYS 2015 Website]