Building with Nature: Celebrating the 2025 International Day of Forests

Nature and the built environment are often perceived as opposing forces – but it’s important to note that they can exist in harmony. As we approach the 2025 International Day of Forests, it’s crucial to explore how sustainable development can contribute to the conservation of our natural environment. In today’s blog, we discuss how buildings can be integrated with nature to ensure a greener, more resilient future for our planet.

What is the International Day of Forests?

Taking place annually on 21st March, the International Day of Forests is a global initiative established by the Food & Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations to raise awareness about the importance of all types of forests. Each year, countries are encouraged to organise activities that safeguard our forests and trees, such as local tree planting campaigns. 2025’s theme is “Forests and Food”, which highlights the role that forests play in providing food security, nutrition, and livelihoods for humans and animals. 

Why is it important that we protect our trees?

As Mark Bentley, Landscape Architect at Encon Associates, emphasises: “As well as being an attractive feature of our landscape, trees are vitally important for biodiversity and the ecology of our planet.” 

According to the United Nations, forests cover nearly 31% of the world and are home to more than 80% of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. They are essential to human health, helping to purify our water and air. They also play an important role in combatting climate change by soaking up carbon dioxide that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.

Unfortunately, deforestation is a major threat to our global tree coverage – and poorly planned infrastructure is a significant contributor to forest degradation. The International Day of Forests serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility to protect and restore our forests, ensuring they continue to benefit future generations.

Understanding the building with nature concept

The building with nature concept focuses on utilising sustainable construction techniques that align with ecological preservation. This approach prioritises:

• The retention and integration of existing trees and green spaces within developments.
• The use of sustainable materials such as low-carbon concrete and reclaimed wood.
• The creation of urban forests, green building roofs, and vertical gardens.

By adopting building with nature standards, architects and developers can foster healthier urban environments and reduce the negative impacts of construction on our ecosystems. 

At Encon Associates, we offer a wide range of expert landscape architecture and design services to help you plan, design, and manage green spaces. We integrate nature-based solutions into all our projects, from tree and shrub planting plans to Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), ensuring that your development supports ecological preservation and climate resilience. We can also provide advice on Biodiversity Net Gain strategies to aid your development in delivering the minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity required for planning consent. 

The role of tree surveys in building with nature

Conducting a tree survey is essential for assessing the ecological value of existing trees before any construction work begins. These surveys evaluate the health and condition of existing trees on site, and their potential impact on proposed construction projects, which directly supports building with nature standards. Developers can then make informed decisions about which trees should be removed before construction begins and which should be retained, with the addition of any appropriate mitigation measures.

Our comprehensive tree surveys enable developers to seamlessly integrate trees into development projects and mitigate unnecessary tree loss. Our Arboricultural Consultants are highly experienced in assessing the health and condition of existing trees, and providing actionable advice on minimising the impacts of construction. As well as safeguarding trees, our surveys support biodiversity and contribute to the overall sustainability of your project.

Moving towards a greener future in construction

As we celebrate the International Day of Forests 2025, it’s vital to acknowledge the role that sustainable development plays in safeguarding our natural landscapes. By embracing the building with nature concept, we can ensure that our built environment seamlessly coexists with nature. 

At Encon Associates, we understand the importance of integrating biodiversity and green infrastructure into development projects. Through our expert tree surveys, landscape design, and ecology services, we help developers make responsible decisions that support climate resilience and ecological preservation.  

Get in touch with one of our expert consultants today to discover how we can support your upcoming development project.