There are only four Therapeutic Forests in world: Portugal is home to one of them.
The recently certified Bussaco National Forest on the Iberian Peninsula joins Beneddiktinerstift in Austria, and Lahnstein and Bad Nauheim in Germany.
After years in the implementation phase, the certification, granted on 17 July by the Healing Forest – International Certification Office, highlights the qualities of this Portuguese forest, located in the parish of Luso in the municipality of Mealhada.
“This certification, which places us among the four therapeutic forests worldwide and as the first on the Iberian Peninsula, gives us global status and brings with it great responsibility,” said the president of the Mata do Bussaco Foundation, Gonçalo Breda Marques, quoted by the Lusa news agency.
Mata do Bussaco covers 105 hectares and, according to the foundation of the same name, “has one of the best dendrological collections in Europe, with around 250 species of trees and shrubs”.
“It is one of the National Forests richest in natural, architectural and cultural heritage and can be divided into four landscape units: Arboretum, Gardens and Fern Valley, Relic Forest and Pinhal do Marquês”, its website states.
The certification adds value for both patients and forest therapists, with the site strengthening its role in health tourism.
What makes a forest ‘therapeutic’?
According to the Healing Forest – International Certification Office, therapeutic forests are woodland areas designed for specific therapeutic uses. Qualified therapists accompany treatments or tailored programmes in these locations, which can be beneficial in managing disabling diseases and have a positive influence on conventional therapies.
For these forests to offer such benefits, they need to meet a set of criteria, such as having natural structures that dampen noise and provide visual and wind protection, trails with different levels of demand and difficulty, and areas dedicated to therapeutic applications as well as relaxation exercises.
The certification process has several stages. The first involves submitting basic information and documentation about the site, after which the process moves on to a technical inspection by a team from the certification office, assessing its therapeutic potential.
Once the first two stages have been completed, an assessment is carried out based on the defined criteria and the characteristics of the forest, leading to the awarding of a certificate, which is valid only for a set period. In the case of Mata do Bussaco, the certification is valid until 2031.
The same organisation says these outdoor practices can bring a range of scientifically proven benefits, including improved cognitive abilities, reduced stress, anxiety and depression, lower blood pressure, a stronger immune system and better sleep quality. Most of the research, carried out over the past decade, comes from Asian countries.
Forest bathing: How nature became a cure for stress
The idea that an immersive experience in a forested area can be beneficial is not new. So-called “forest bathing” is a direct translation of the Japanese term shinrin-yoku and was developed in Japan in 1982 as part of a national health programme designed to reduce stress levels among the Japanese population.
The concept is similar to a guided wellbeing or mindfulness practice, not necessarily aimed at a specific medical indication, and functions as a health practice in its own right, akin to existing recommendations such as eating a healthy diet or doing regular physical exercise.
Forest therapy, by contrast, is a more clinically formalised practice led by accredited forest therapists and is sometimes linked to specific medical and therapeutic indications, such as cardiovascular, respiratory, psychosomatic, orthopaedic or neurological diseases.
The Forest Therapy Hub is one of the organisations that provides training and accreditation for these professionals, explaining that forest therapy aims to “promote positive states of mental health and improve physical and social health, strengthening the connection with nature, interpersonal relationships and social cohesion”.
