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Overview of Topic 1.1 Introduction to ForestWell & The ForestWell Concept provides a comprehensive introduction to the ForestWell concept, emphasising the holistic benefits of forests and nature, eco-friendly tourism practices, sustainability, and social responsibility. It outlines the core pillars of the ForestWell concept and explores how these elements integrate to promote wellness, well-being, and sustainable tourism. It provides definitions and SDGs interpretation to provide understanding on the foundational aspects of ForestWell elements which are crucial for grasping the strategies and initiatives discussed throughout the course.
The ForestWell concept is rooted in the holistic benefits of Forests and Nature, Eco-friendly Tourism Practices, Regenerative Thinking, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility.
‘ForestWell’ encompasses forest wellness, forest wellbeing, forest based tourism and experiences concepts. It is a holistic concept that integrates nature, natural forests, wellness, wellbeing and tourism so people and tourism businesses can leverage the therapeutic, health and recreational benefits of forest environments. It combines forests (natural forest environments), holistic health practices (wellbeing), and sustainable tourism experiences (tourism businesses) as a collective mechanism to benefit the participant (guest, tourist or visitor) to enhance their overall wellbeing and health physically, mentally, and often emotionally and spiritually. Understanding the ForestWell context is essential to navigate the learnings and strategies that follow throughout this course to drive future initiatives in sustainable tourism and holistic health.
“Forest bathing is a practice that involves immersing oneself in the forest atmosphere to improve overall wellbeing. Scientific studies have shown it reduces stress hormone production and lowers blood pressure.” (Source: Dr. Qing Li’s research on Forest Bathing)
The ForestWell concept is centered around three key pillars; wellness, wellbeing and tourism. These themes are underpinned with principles of protection, conservation, sustainability, and regenerative practices to safeguard and enhance forests.
ForestWell offers numerous benefits, including enhancing physical and mental health through nature-based wellness activities and promoting sustainable tourism practices that protect and rejuvenate forest ecosystems. By integrating conservation and regenerative principles, ForestWell ensures the preservation of biodiversity and natural habitats, allowing a deep connection between people and nature while supporting local communities through education and sustainable economic opportunities. This holistic approach not only improves individual wellbeing but also contributes to the long-term health and sustainability of our planet’s forests. Here we explain how ForestWell benefits people, environment, tourism economy,communities and education
The following section provides definitions from reputable global organisations that clarify the concept of ForestWell within the context of wellbeing forest tourism.
World Tourism Organisation – Promoting Wellbeing
The world Tourism Organisation, 2021 defines well-being as ‘Well-being is a positive state experienced by individuals and societies. Similar to health, it is a resource for daily life and is determined by social, economic and environmental conditions. Well-being encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose. Focusing on well-being supports the tracking of the equitable distribution of resources, overall thriving and sustainability. A society’s well-being can be determined by the extent to which it is resilient, builds capacity for action, and is prepared to transcend challenges
(Source World Health Organisation Promoting Well-being)
Global Wellness Institute – Defines Wellness
Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as ‘the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health’. Let’s investigate this definition a little further below. There are two important aspects to this definition.
First, wellness is not a passive or static state but rather an “active pursuit” that is associated with intentions, choices and actions as we work toward an optimal state of health and wellbeing.
Second, wellness is linked to holistic health—that is, it extends beyond physical health and incorporates many different dimensions that should work in harmony.
Wellness is an individual pursuit—we have self-responsibility for our own choices, behaviors and lifestyles—but it is also significantly influenced by the physical, social and cultural environments in which we live.
Wellness is associated with an active process of being aware and making choices that lead toward an outcome of optimal holistic health and wellbeing.
(Source Global Wellness Institute)
Global Wellness Institute – Defining Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy
Forest bathing and forest therapy (or shinrin-yoku) broadly means taking in, in all of one’s senses, the forest atmosphere. Not simply a walk in the woods, it is the conscious and contemplative practice of being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest. It is focused on slowing down and appreciating all aspects of the environment. Forest therapy originated with the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, which translates to “forest bathing,” developed in the 1980s to promote physical and mental health.
(Source GWI)
According to proponents, forest bathing can be therapeutic, countering some of the negative effects of our technology-driven, climate-controlled, fast-paced, often highly stressed daily lives. Researchers have established a growing body of scientific literature on the diverse health benefits, including improving health and well-being at the physiological, emotional, cognitive, social and spiritual levels.
(Source APA (American Psychiatric Association))
Forest Stewardship Council International states that ‘Good things happen when we spend time in a forest’.
ForestWell Integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 15 & 3)
The World Tourism Organisation defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities”.
While tourism has an impact on all of the SDGs, forests also have a significant role in the SDGs by reducing the risk of natural disasters, including floods, droughts, landslides and other extreme events. At global level, forests mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration, contribute to the balance of oxygen, carbon dioxide and humidity in the air and protect watersheds, which supply 75% of freshwater worldwide.
(Source (Source UNWTO) )
ForestWell & SDG Goal 15 – Life on Land (& Tourism)
SDG Goal 15 – Life on Land ‘Protect, restore & promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desert-ification & halt & reverse land degradation & halt biodiversity loss’ (Source Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Forests)
ForestWell supports Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land (and tourism) by implementing practices that prioritise the conservation and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems. Through its focus on forest tourism, ForestWell promotes sustainable land use and the protection of biodiversity. Here are specific ways ForestWell aligns with SDG 15:
Conservation Efforts: ForestWell actively engages in protecting forest areas from deforestation and degradation, by ensuring they are used and managed in a responsible way as tourism and community resources while preserving habitats for diverse plant and animal species.
Sustainable Tourism: ForestWell promotes eco-friendly tourism practices by minimising the environmental impact of tourism activities, reducing pollution, waste, and habitat disturbance. It ensures forests and their benefits are accessible and available for all in a way that benefits people and the planet.
Regenerative Practices: ForestWell incorporates regenerative practices that go beyond sustainability, aiming to restore and enhance natural ecosystems. This includes reforestation by educating and involving guests, regenerative projects, clean ups, soil restoration, and the introduction of native species.
Community Involvement: ForestWell involves local communities in conservation efforts, providing education and employment opportunities that encourage sustainable livelihoods and enable a sense of stewardship over natural resources.
Research and Monitoring: ForestWell supports scientific research and continuous monitoring of forest health to inform and improve conservation strategies, ensuring that efforts are effective and adaptive to changing environmental conditions.
ForestWell uses the majority of these initiatives, so that it can successfully contribute to the achievement of SDG 15 maintaining and improving the health of terrestrial ecosystems, supporting biodiversity, and promoting sustainable use of forest resources.
ForestWell & SDG Goal 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing (& Tourism)
SDG Goal 3 – Health & Well-Being: A healthy ecosystem and environment is vital to human health, as highlighted by Covid. (Source Earth Changers)
ForestWell integrates Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing and tourism by promoting activities and initiatives that enhance the forests, individuals, tourists and community health through nature-based experiences. Wellness is integral to and involves a deep connection with nature and activities e.g., forest bathing, walking, physical activity, mental relaxation all of which contribute to overall well being. ForestWell supports sustainable tourism practices that protect and regenerate forest environments, ensuring that these natural spaces continue to provide health benefits for future generations. Through this integration, ForestWell not only enhances the health and wellbeing of visitors but also contributes to the long-term sustainability of forest ecosystems.
Links with the other Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 4 – Quality education is required to teach people about the importance and value of biodiversity and its conservation.
Goal 8 – Economic growth & productive employment: supports biodiversity in conservation, and ecotourism, detracting from exploitative practices in which local people engage often out of economic necessity.
Goal 11 – Sustainable cities: As urbanisation increases, the planet’s biodiversity becomes all the more important and valuable.
Goal 12 – Sustainable Consumption & Production: and not over consumption/exploitation is necessary for the sustainability of life on land. SDG target 12.b. which aims to “develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”.
Goal 17 – Partnerships: are vital for protection, conservation and sustainable management of life on land, against climate exploitation.
(Source Earth Changers)
The FORESTWELL Projects aims are to implement the innovative and stimulating learning environment in VET and creation of an upskilling pathway for entrepreneurs in wellness and tourism.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency. Neither the European Union nor National Agency can be held responsible for them.