Almost 1.6 billion people – more than a quarter of the global population – rely on forests for their livelihood. Of this number, it’s said that around 60 million indigenous people are almost entirely dependent on forests to survive. Forests not only help these people to subsist, they also provide a number of essential services. They protect the soil, regulate water and support biodiversity. Equally important, they also store carbon, playing an important role in the fight against climate change.