Forest bathing, the new seed of healthy leisure

In 1980s Japan , the country was saddled with enormous debt and healthcare spending was sky-high. Stress, anxiety, depression, and their after-effects were becoming a serious national problem, so authorities asked university and forestry specialists to design a preventative and palliative health activity based on nature. Thus, forest bathing, or Shinrin Yoku, was born. Currently, Japan has 65 centers in its natural parks where guides and medical personnel organize forest therapy activities for visitors. Each year, 5 million people practice forest bathing at these centers, where they offer routes and medical checkups in specialized centers. Furthermore, the country has a forest medical society that conducts research on the health impact of these activities in nature.

This is explained by José Manuel Areces, president of the Asturias Forest Therapy School Association, an organization based in the town of Villaviciosa. Although it was officially founded in 2023, its members have been leading forest baths and conducting health activities in nature for over a decade. "To understand what forest bathing is, you have to look beyond a simple walk among trees. It's a health activity in nature that seeks to induce states of deep relaxation and connection through mindfulness techniques, sensory awareness, and conscious breathing," says Areces. "Clean air, phytoncides, negative ions, beneficial bacteria... all of this has a measurable biological effect on people," he adds.

From his nonprofit perspective, Areces draws attention to the need to revive old, forgotten health practices—such as rural sanatoriums or hospital gardens—and to the intangible value that natural spaces offer in the fight against stress, anxiety, and depression. "It is essential that the Ministries of Health and Environment recognize this practice as part of a public health policy. Not only does it improve lives, it could also significantly reduce healthcare costs," he adds.

In fact, the Asturias Forest Therapy School Association is launching the Viesca project to support administrations in supporting these activities. "We also provide advisory services to hotels, tourism companies, parks and nature reserves, and municipalities throughout Spain to help them create trails suitable for this activity on their land and facilities."

In countries such as Canada and South Korea, models that could be integrated into certain public health systems are already being explored. In Spain, some progress has been made in this direction, highlighting experiences led by the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona, ​​Public Hospitals in Navarra, and also initiatives promoted by Dipsalut, the public health agency of the Girona Provincial Council. Forest Therapy Hub (FTHub) collaborates with some of them. Founded in 2015 in the US, this organization has trained professionals in more than 80 countries, including Spain, and leads scientific projects with public institutions and universities. "Our focus is on integrating nature into health and wellness systems in a structured manner based on scientific evidence," explains Álex Gesse, executive director of FTHub Executive. "Our clients include both public institutions and governments interested in implementing nature-based health and wellness programs, as well as individuals. "Primarily, these are professionals in the fields of health, wellness, sustainable tourism, natural space management, and researchers, among others, who seek to incorporate a connection with nature into their professional practice or understand the underlying processes of how nature drives health and well-being," he adds.

In most countries, the practice is still not officially regulated. However, specialized training, strong professional ethics, and protocols based on scientific evidence are essential. One of the most famous certifications is the one offered by FTHub in the United States. "That's why, at the Asturian Forest Therapy School Association, we decided to create a national certification based on our Spanish and European historical and cultural traditions, and that would cover a broader range of training in health, history, and field practices for new guides," explains Areces. "That's why we created the first Spanish forest bathing therapy guide certification."

Alex Gesse, spokesperson for FTHub in Spain, explains that they offer certifications such as the FTHub Certified Forest Bathing Guide and the FTHub Certified Forest Therapy Practitioner, which integrate theory, practice, methodology, and professional ethics. "These certifications are internationally recognized and based on scientific evidence. Furthermore, they consistently incorporate the knowledge generated in our research projects, thus ensuring the practical application of science in training and professional practice."

One of the most established companies in the sector in Spain is Baños de Bosque Madrid, a vocational project of its founder, Txema Ventura, who, after an extensive corporate and urban career, began a vital process of unlearning and relearning through a deeper connection with Nature. After several years of training and experimentation with the emotional, psychological, and physical healing effects of forest immersion, and the backing of numerous scientific studies on these benefits, this project emerged. "We started in 2013 and since then have accompanied more than two thousand forest immersions. Our headquarters are in the forests of the Sierra de Madrid, in El Escorial, although it has been forged in the forests of the world. Our initial proposal had to be shaped to meet its audiences, differentiating experiences for individuals and others for groups of different profiles, from work teams to people who shared other activities where we integrated our proposals." Currently, the project "is focused on corporate wellness, where we have found forest bathing to be a very effective tool," explains Ventura, who recalls that "another challenge was finding qualified professionals to work with us, so we had to develop internal professional training programs."

Companies, public bodies, and all kinds of organizations (training centers, foundations, associations, sports clubs, senior residences, etc.) are the main clients of Baños de Bosque Madrid, "although we also maintain an activity format aimed at individuals and small groups with the aim of promoting this discipline and making it accessible to anyone interested in trying it." Baños de Bosque Madrid emphasizes the enormous opportunity this activity offers for the rural world.

"It's a great incentive to be able to create healthy leisure tourism products that contribute to the economy of these areas experiencing depopulation. In our case, we're located in El Escorial, and we're proud to be a 'local product' in the Community of Madrid, highlighting the region's natural heritage, from urban parks to rural and natural spaces."

"There's a great opportunity, and in fact, we're in contact with other reserves and natural parks, as well as with the Spanish Association of Mountain Municipalities, to offer training and advice so that this activity can grow and become more popular," explains José Ramón Areces. He also states that "many of the students who come to our school privately, from different parts of Spain, are people with close ties to the rural world, seeking complementary work, whether as healthcare professionals, therapists, accommodation managers, tour guides, or unemployed individuals. Once they are trained as guides and receive accreditation, we support them so they can develop their professional activity in their respective areas."

In terms of health and wellness tourism, "the Spanish countryside is an ideal destination, a health factory with wonderful parks and nature reserves that host these and other complementary activities. It's a niche market where we can grow and create significant rural employment."