Preserving the forests gives a lot back to humanity, animals, and ecosystems

3 July 2023 Forests in photos

This July our image in the spotlight is ‘Morning Glory’ by Lukman Hakim Yusoff, a runner-up in our 2022 Photo Contest. In our interview the photographer shared how his photo came about and why forests and nature are so important for him.

How do you feel about forests, both professionally and personally?

We’ve been taught since childhood about the importance of forests to our world. Forests cover almost a third of the Earth, and play an important part in our lives. For me there’s no difference between professional and personal, because it all goes the same way.

Preserving the forests gives a lot back to humanity and to other living things such as animals and ecosystems. Actions must be taken to conserve forests all around the world for our current and future generations. Just imagine the worst thing living in a world without them.

How did the forest inspire you to take your winning photo?

I took ‘Morning Glory’ after the Covid-19 pandemic had hit the world, while going from the tough pandemic life into the endemic phase. During that time, I needed to clear my mind, thinking about what to do next.

The only right thing in this situation was spending time with mother nature for a few days. The peacefulness, serenity and tranquillity of places like this really transforms your mind, motivates you to make up your mind about what is the best thing to do after going through such hard times. Working as a full-time commercial photographer also helped me taking this great shot.

What do you think about the work that an organization such as PEFC does to care for forests?

It is good to know that there is a non-governmental organization that promotes sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. With forests around the world being cut down every day for development, PEFC promotes good practice in the forest and ensures that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social, and ethical standards.