Forests are essential for the survival of people everywhere. They nurture, inspire, and shelter.

They can also, incidentally, provide a sustainable path for achieving difficult development goals, like eradicating global poverty or increasing food security in the world’s most vulnerable regions.

Forests and development will be part of the discussion this week at the Eighth session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations in New York, NY, from February 3rd through 7th.

Not sure how forests can play a role in supporting development? See a new UN briefing on the issue for more information.

Forests are also beautiful - in support of the working group discussions, the winners from this year’s International Forest Photograph Awards will be featured at the My Forest |Our Future Exhibition at the Gabarron Foundation all month. They will be well worth visiting.

For live news on the discussions this week - be sure to follow UN Sustainable Development on Twitter all week (@SustDev).