Many people assume you can just plant trees after a fire and the whole forest is back. Some facts: forests are safety nets, economic engines, and cultural lifelines. They harbor 80% of the biodiversity on land, clean the air, filter water, and store carbon, while providing food and income for billions. When disturbances like fire, storms, or pests hit, a whole web of relationships between species, soil, and people unravels. These complex relationships can’t simply be ‘replanted’. IUFRO experts stress it is better to maintain a working forest system than to rebuild a collapsed one. Find out about local plans for fire prevention and forest climate fitness. Read the full study on Forests as Pillars of Social and Economic Resilience at iufro.org. IUFRO – the global network for forest science collaboration