International Day of Forests

March 21st marks the International Day of Forests, a day to celebrate and raise awareness about the significance of all types of forests. For 2025, the theme chosen by the United Nations is “Forests and Foods.” This theme highlights the vital roles forests play in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. Forest ecosystems provide food, fuel, income, and employment to billions of people worldwide, while also supporting soil fertility, protecting water resources, and serving as habitats for the world’s biodiversity.

At Monsoon Tea Company, forests are at the heart of what we do. The forested mountains of Northern Thailand are integral to our business, forming the foundation of our mission to grow sustainable tea in harmony with nature. This approach, which we call Forest Friendly Tea, has been our guiding principle since the very beginning. Our love for these fragile ecosystems has driven us through the toughest times. Although the idea of growing tea in forested areas, rather than in more efficient monoculture plantations, was a difficult concept to convey just a decade ago, today we see more companies and organizations discussing this subject and turning to our work in Thailand as an example.

For us, forests equate to biodiversity. A plantation with a single species of tree does not constitute a forest—it remains a monoculture, which offers limited opportunities for life to thrive. Our efforts focus on preserving biodiverse areas and promoting reforestation through the best available practices, while ensuring that local communities can still earn a livelihood from growing and producing tea. None of this would be possible without the support of you, our customers, who drink our tea and purchase our forest-origin products. We are deeply grateful for your role in making this work possible. So, today, on March 21st, take a moment to reflect on the products you consume and consider the impact they have on forests around the world.