Classic children’s book Winnie-The-Pooh to feature new illustrations to show impact of deforestation across the world

POPULAR children's book Winnie-The-Pooh is being re-imagined to highlight the impact of deforestation across the globe.

New illustrations of the book's characters will feature in Winnie-The-Pooh: The Deforested Edition, where Hundred Acre Wood is claimed by deforestation.

The classic literature is being updated to raise awareness of the catastrophic rate at which trees are being cut down to make traditional toilet paper.

It comes after a poll of 1,000 parents of six to 11-year-olds found that more than half of parents couldn’t confidently say what deforestation is.

Moreover, 38 per cent didn’t realise toilet roll can be made from trees - despite the fact that over one million trees are cut down globally, each day, to provide the world with loo paper.

More than half (53 per cent) of the parents said their children are raising concerns over environmental issues.

But nearly nine in 10 parents (86 per cent) are sometimes or often unable to answer their child’s concerns.

Founder of eco toilet paper brand Who Gives a Crap, Simon Griffiths, said the poll results highlighted how misunderstood deforestation is.

He said: “Our research shows that deforestation is largely misunderstood, despite both parents and their children wanting to do better.

“It’s clear that parents want to know more about the issue to ensure they can help educate our children about deforestation.

“Whilst a hard topic to highlight, we hope that ‘deforesting’ Winnie-the-Pooh’s iconic, imaginary environment to represent the impact of land cleared every day to make traditional toilet paper, will put the issue of deforestation in the spotlight and help families, and beyond, understand how this impacts our trees and forests.”

The study's results also proved how 96 per cent of the mums and dads polled still think it’s important for them to educate their children about environmental issues.

Children were also questioned on the issue of deforestation and 22 per cent weren’t aware that cutting down lots of trees can have a negative impact on the planet.

15 per cent of the kids surveyed were under the impression that animals get moved elsewhere, while 12 per cent assumed they find new homes (12 per cent) when the vegetation is cut down.

However, this is rarely the case.

But the children showed an appetite for wanting to learn more about the issue.

More than half (63 per cent) of them want to learn more about deforestation and what it means.

85 per cent also wished they could do more to help save trees from being cut down.

The study, conducted via OnePoll, also found 78 per cent of parents said the same and would like to do more to prevent deforestation.

Winnie-The-Pooh: The Deforested Edition is available for purchase in the United States via Who Gives a Crap.

Mr. Griffiths added: “By bringing the issue of deforestation to the fore for everyone, we hope to raise the awareness needed to help make sustainable choices and advocate for the protection of these vital ecosystems.

“We need to empower our youth to be the change-makers of tomorrow, standing as vigilant guardians of our forests and champions of a greener, more sustainable future for all.”