Topic Editors

Department of Forest Utilization, Institute of Forest Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS), Warsaw, Poland
Department of Landscape Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nippon Medical School Hospital, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan
International Bachelor Program of Agribusiness, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan

Impact of the Forest Environment on Public Health: Forest Recreation, Forest Therapy, and Forest Bathing

Abstract submission deadline
30 April 2026
Manuscript submission deadline
30 June 2026
Viewed by
632

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

With advances in technology and civilisation, people are gradually starting to feel more and more disconnected from the natural world, with very negative consequences for health. People are facing new technostresses, and these stresses are threatening their health. It is becoming more and more urgent to reverse this trend and seek solutions to facilitate contact with nature. Nature is as important for people's wellbeing and mental health as it is for society's ability to cope with global change, health risks and disasters. It has been reported that forest bathing/shinrin-yoku reduces mental and physical stress. People need nature in their lives, not only because of the need for health, but also because contact with nature makes them more creative and able to think innovatively. Forest ecosystems are an important place for recreation and leisure, the realisation of physical activity, and they contribute to building good social relations and shaping pro-environmental behaviour. In addition, forests increase people's resilience, protect them from noise and allow them to breathe cleaner air. There is a lot of scientific evidence indicating that nature can help people rebuild, regenerate their psycho-physical strength. By helping people maintain the adaptive resources needed to cope with the demands of life, nature can reduce the risk of chronic stress-related illnesses and promote a range of intermediate values, such as improved wellbeing and focused attention. This Topic aims to highlight the importance of forest ecosystems in promoting public health, as well as to promote awareness of the impact of the forest on human health.

Dr. Emilia Janeczko
Dr. Jitka Fialova
Prof. Dr. Qing Li
Prof. Dr. Chi-Ming Hsieh
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • cultural services of forest ecosystems
  • nature deficit
  • human health
  • public health
  • forest bathing
  • forest medicine
  • forest therapy
  • shinrin-yoku
  • stress

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Healthcare
healthcare
2.7 4.7 2013 21.5 Days CHF 2700 Submit
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
ijerph
- 8.5 2004 27.8 Days CHF 2500 Submit
Sustainability
sustainability
3.3 7.7 2009 19.3 Days CHF 2400 Submit

Preprints.org is a multidisciplinary platform offering a preprint service designed to facilitate the early sharing of your research. It supports and empowers your research journey from the very beginning.

MDPI Topics is collaborating with Preprints.org and has established a direct connection between MDPI journals and the platform. Authors are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity by posting their preprints at Preprints.org prior to publication:

  1. Share your research immediately: disseminate your ideas prior to publication and establish priority for your work.
  2. Safeguard your intellectual contribution: Protect your ideas with a time-stamped preprint that serves as proof of your research timeline.
  3. Boost visibility and impact: Increase the reach and influence of your research by making it accessible to a global audience.
  4. Gain early feedback: Receive valuable input and insights from peers before submitting to a journal.
  5. Ensure broad indexing: Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Journals
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
12 pages, 260 KiB  
Article
The Psychological Benefits of Forest Bathing in Individuals with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Pilot Study
by Mayte Serrat, Estíbaliz Royuela-Colomer, Sandra Alonso-Marsol, Sònia Ferrés, Ruben Nieto, Albert Feliu-Soler and Anna Muro
Healthcare 2025, 13(14), 1654; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13141654 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 448
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The main objective of the present study is to assess the short-term effects of Forest Bathing (FB) conducted in a Mediterranean forest on individuals with fibromyalgia (FM) and/or chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgia encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) on perceived pain, fatigue, state anxiety, positive and negative [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The main objective of the present study is to assess the short-term effects of Forest Bathing (FB) conducted in a Mediterranean forest on individuals with fibromyalgia (FM) and/or chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgia encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) on perceived pain, fatigue, state anxiety, positive and negative affect, mood states, and state mindfulness. Methods: A total of 44 participants with FM and/or CSF/ME agreed to participate in this study. The FB session consisted of a 3 km silent walk, lasting three hours and guided by a specialized psychologist and a mountain guide to guarantee the safety of the activity. Paired-sample t-tests were used to analyze the pre–post changes in perceived pain, fatigue, state anxiety, positive and negative affect, mood states, and mindfulness. Results: All reported variables but self-reported pain showed statistically significant pre–post variations after the FB session. Particularly, large-to-very-large improvements in positive and negative affect, state anxiety, tension, depression, anger, and vigor were found. Small-to-moderate effect sizes for fatigue, friendliness, and state mindfulness were also reported. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence of the short-term benefits of FB in individuals with FM and/or CFS/ME, especially on state anxiety and negative affect. Full article
Back to TopTop