As part of Nakusp and Area Community Forest’s speaker series, Carol Andrews welcomed a large crowd on February 22 for a presentation on forest therapy.
Andrews has spent her whole life in forests, working as a Registered Professional Forester before becoming a forestry instructor at Selkirk College. Now retired, she continues her time outside as a Certified Forest Therapy Guide.
“When I did forest therapy training I really got to understand, not just the science behind it, but the whole and interesting idea of connecting with nature – and how that makes people feel,” she said.
Forest therapy is an immersive, evidence-based practice where people use their senses to connect with forest environments. Though an ancient practice, it was given a name in Japan in 1982 – Shinrin-Yoku, meaning “take in the forest atmosphere.” The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries coined the term to inspire citizens to reconnect with nature – an ‘eco-antidote’ to the tech-boom burnout.
Forest therapy soon caught on in the Western world, with an abundance of research supporting its effectiveness. Andrews has seen it work wonders on her forestry students; during the pandemic, every class was held outside.
“They were suddenly alive and interested,” she said.
Spending time in nature has many benefits, including better sleep, increased energy and sense of well-being, and improved cognition. Andrews said some doctors are even recommending time in nature and writing prescriptions for national park passes.
But how is nature doing all that?
Trees – mostly conifers – release volatile organic compounds called phytoncides and terpenes to protect themselves from insects and pathogens. When inhaled by humans, they decrease cortisol production and help reduce stress. The parasympathetic nervous system is activated, bringing about feelings of relaxation and rest.
“And when we open the other senses, we get a lot more benefits,” said Andrews.
Forest therapy walks are slow, she said. Though participants may only travel 100 to 200 metres, it can take between one-and-a-half and three hours to complete a walk.
This slow pace is important, she said, helping individuals experience the forest through all five senses. Slowing down lets one see the way light filters through the trees, feel the dampness of the moss, and hear the wind in the leaves.
“You become alive to everything around you,” said Andrews.
As a guide, Andrews supports participants by being the leader. With someone showing the way, those on the walk can relax without having to worry where they’re going.
Though Andrews offers up “invitations” to prompt individuals to connect with their surroundings, most of the walk is spent in silence. When the walk is over, they share tea to slowly transition back to the regular life.
Guide training can be done through several organizations, including Nature and Forest Therapy Canada and the Global Institute of Forestry Therapy and Nature Connection.
Andrews clarified that she is the guide, but nature is the therapist.
“The idea is to move from the individual to community to something bigger, perhaps – the connection to nature and the caring for what goes on out there.”
