Abstract
As a result of rapid urbanization and urban sprawl, natural ecosystems are shrinking or are fragmented, affecting people’s health and quality of life. Modern people prefer to live in large cities rather than rural areas because of greater convenience and more comfortable living conditions. As a consequence, people are suffering from many psycho-physiological health problems and have a longing for natural environments to escape the concrete jungle. Forest therapy has emerged as a preventive and alternative therapy to cope with stress and enhance people’s health and wellbeing as a result of spending time in a green and healthy environment. Here, we review the activities related to forest therapy in China and discuss the commonalities and differences between the forest therapy types. Furthermore, we summarize the current achievements of forest therapy in basic research and the development of the forest therapy industry. We also describe the challenges that forest therapy has been facing. Finally, we provide suggestions for further development in research and industry.
Highlights
As a result of rapid urbanization and urban sprawl, natural ecosystems are shrinking or are fragmented, affecting people’s health and quality of life
As people are becoming increasingly aware of their psycho-physiological health, they have a desire to escape the concrete jungle and long for a natural environment
Forest experience has been used as the general term for people’s activities focused on perceiving the forest and its environment through various senses in the Notice on Promoting Forest Experience and Forest Wellness Development proposed by State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA)
Summary
Forest therapy activities in China include forest rehabilitation and recreation, forest healthcare, forest tourism, forest experiences, and forest wellness. The commonalities among these activities are the forest environment, which provides the setting, and the goal of health promotion, whereas the differences are the paths used to achieve the goal
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