• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.95-105
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• 2010

Background and Purpose : Forest-Therapy has received attention as a treatment of regulating living habits with the increase of chronic disease. Forest-Therapy and Korean Medicine are in same as their philosophy to adapt to nature and they can suggest new alternative treating of chronic diseases. Now we want to look the possibility of development of Forest-Therapy program adopting Korean Medicine with the analysis of research status and cases of Forest-Therapy. Methods : We searched articles in Korea by using keyword 'Forest-Therapy', 'Forest & Therapy' 'Forest' and 'Therapy' Korean. Results : Even though the domestic research about Forest-Therapy is still insufficient, there is a need of try referring the cases of Germany and Japan. Forest-Therapy program was used to get psychological stability, release stress and treat alcohol diseases. There was some cases that adopt the nature to clinical field actively. The clinical articles were mainly published about stress and health. Conclusions : It seems that running the constitutional program that considers different among individuals adopting Sasang constitutional medicine, utilizing Forest-Therapy Doctor through the participation of Public Oriental Medicine Doctor, and operating experience program applying Herb have sufficient possibility.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of forest healing therapy by analyzing researches on forest healing therapy applied to Korean adults and to confirm that forest healing therapy can be used as a therapeutic intervention program for elderly nursing or rehabilitation nursing. Methods: We searched 972 research papers on forest therapy applied to Korean adults. We reviewed appropriate 25 research papers with experimental design among them in the final analysis. Results: Forest healing therapy had physiological and psychosocial effects. First of all, it showed physiological effects to reduce stress index such as heart rate variation. Forest therapy also improved melatonin level in blood of middle-aged women with menopause and increased alpha wave in electroencephalogram and decreased lipid level and superoxide dismutase in blood. Second, forest healing therapy showed psychosocial effects to reduce depression and to improve mental health. But the effects appeared differently depending on the implementing type, period of forest healing therapy, and the professionalism of therapists. Therefore, if forest healing therapy would be applied to nursing, it should be based on its key principle, in other words, its principle of action-interaction-response of forest healing therapy. Conclusion: The results of this study could be used to develop a forest healing program as an intervention of nursing.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.110 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 2021

In this study, the validity of the forest therapy process, in which forest activities using forest therapy factors lead to immunity promotion and health promotion, was analyzed theoretically and qualitatively to refine and systemize the forest therapy concept. Research and analysis data were collected from the websites of institutions related to forest therapy; 33 theses and 33 original research articles from 2000 to March 2020 were searched for forest therapy key words, as well as the prize winning work of the 2016 forest therapy experience essay. A word cloud was generated by frequency of nouns and adjectives and from the key words in the web pages, theses, articles, and the forest therapy experience essay. Through interpretation of word frequency, the systemic flow of forest therapy was defined. The results suggest that the source of forest therapy's power was a positive experience of the forest and an improved attitude toward nature as well as forest therapeutic factors. The therapeutic effect is maximized through the forest healing program, leading to physical and mental resilience and resistance; consequently, health and immunity are promoted. From this study, forest therapy is proposed as "a health promotion activity for the psychological, physical, and spiritual resilience of the subjects through various environmental factors of the forest, positive experiences, and attitudes toward the forest."

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.915-924
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to conduct a forest healing program for victims affected by the large forest fires of 2017 in Gangneung and to investigate its effects on the stress and physical health promotion of the victims. From January to March 2019, three forest therapy programs were conducted on 49 residents of four villages that suffered forest fires in the National Center for Forest Therapy, Daegwallyeong. The results showed that the degree of stress of forest fire victims decreased significantly by means of these programs. Furthermore, autonomic nerve activity, stress resistance, stress index, and fatigue decreased significantly and average heart rate and heart stability also improved.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.363-375
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• 2020

Background and objective: Recreation or activities in forest are regarded as therapy. Many forest therapy programs have been developed and assessed in the domestic. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the forest therapy program on academic and job-seeking stress in college students. Methods: Thirty five subjects were selected as the experimental group and 25 as the control group, and 29 subjects in the experimental group and 11 in the control group participated in the follow-up test to verify the persistence of stress reduction effects. The forest therapy program was carried out once a week for 2 hours each from September 4 to December 4, 2018, adding up to total eight sessions. Results: The experimental group showed statistically significant reduction in both academic stress and job-seeking stress, whereas the control group did not. For the persistence of the forest therapy program, the experimental group did not show a statistically significant difference between the posttest and the follow-up test, and thus the stress reduction effect was maintained. Conclusion: This study proved the reduction of academic and job-seeking stress in forest therapy programs and the persistence of the stress reduction effect of the forest therapy program. The result is consistent with the Stress Recovery Theory (SRT) that shows the stress reduction effect of nature. In addition, it has significance in that it has verified that the program using the forest on campus can reduce stress of most college students.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.2
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• pp.299-306
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• 2014

Japan and Korea have developed forest therapy policies, but their policies differ in several respects. First, Forest therapy projects are managed by local governments and residents in Japan, while they are operated by Korea Forest Service. Second, Japan adopts the certification system of forest therapy areas, emphasizes medical and scientific evidences, maintains the quality of forest therapy by inducing competitive participation of local governments and residents, and cultivates forest therapists through Forest Therapy Society. In contrast, Korea has adopted the licence system, improved institutional framework, and cultivated therapists, but it is at early stage. Third, Japanese forest therapy policy aims at regional development of the mountain villages, overlapping with other local policies. However, in Korea, the primary policy goal is to expand forest services and thereby having its own policy framework and being promoted strongly.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.395-410
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate 199 subfertile women's interest in and needs for forest therapy programs according to their demographic characteristics in a subfertile clinic in Seoul to provide basic data. The results of this study were summarized as follows. First, the perception and experience of subfertile women about forest therapy were all low, but their intention to participate was generally positive. Second, the type of forest therapy preferred by subfertile women was a half-day small group that they can participate with their spouse during weekends. Third, subfertile women expected phytoncide (35.8%) and a high level of oxygen (29.9%) from forest therapy programs. Fourth, subfertile women expected physical and mental health such as improved blood circulation and immunity, and meditation opportunity from forest therapy. Fifth, subfertile women expected from forest therapists understanding and sympathy (62.2%). This study conducted a survey on 199 subfertile women only. Through follow-up studies that involve more subfertile subjects and a broader region, it will be possible to develop more effective forest therapy programs for promoting the physical and mental health of subfertile subjects.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.4
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• pp.630-638
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• 2014

This paper explores the economic spillover effects of forest therapy projects of Korea Forest Service, using the 2011 Input-Output Tables of Bank of Korea. We consider total expenditures on the construction of 20 forest therapy bases and Baekdudaegan Forest Therapy Base, and operation of 3 forest therapy bases. During the 8 years of 2010-2017, we find that these forest therapy projects generate 698 billion wons of production, 456 billion wons of value-added, and 8,176 new jobs.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2015

Objectives The purpose of this study is to understand the research trend of reports on forest therapy so far and analyze the Korean medicine therapy being applied in forest therapy programs. Methods We ran a keyword search on domestic databases with the following keyword 'forest therapy, forest healing, forest treatment, recreational forest, forest bath, forest experience'. The search took place in December 2014 and there was no limit to search time. A total of 334 forest therapy articles have been selected. Results The number of research on forest therapy continued to rise from 1985, with 334 articles being published from 84 journals. When those 188 articles were sorted by their contents and methods, except 146 articles of survey on simple satisfaction, recognition and visting, 94 were clinical studies, 79 were literature studies, 15 were experimental studies. Of the 94 clinical researches, there were 52 CCTs (Controled Clinical Trials), 39 ODs (efficacy studies with either a controlled or an Other than controlled Design) and 3 RCTs (Randomized Clinical Trials). Among the clinical researches, there were a total of 21 studies that used Korean Medicine programs, and meditation was the most popular, being used in 18 studies. Herbal food and tea therapy and Qigong were used in 3 studies each, and Korean medicine music programs were used in 2 studies. Conclusions A systematic and standardized Korean medicine forest therapy program must be developed, and based on the program, more research treating diseases should be conducted.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.489-503
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• 2019

This study aimed to analyze the preference of subfertile women for forest therapy programs depending on their emotional characteristics, and to provide basic data for the development of forest therapy programs in order to promote the mental health of subfertile women. Among the surveyed emotional characteristics of subfertile women, the level of emotions including pressure to become pregnant, impatience and frustration were high, while that of emotions including anxiety and fear; depression, hopelessness, helplessness, loneliness and sadness tended to be medium. The level of emotions including shame and guilt tended to be low. The top six forest therapy programs preferred by subfertile women include a deep breath of air /phytoncide, forest bathing/wind bathing/sun bathing, self-esteem recovery program, eating organic foods, low body bathing/foot bathing/hot spring bathing, and breathing/breathing exercises. Subfertile women highly pressured to become pregnant showed significant differences in the preference of the self-esteem recovery program, Domar 's relaxation therapy, NLP therapy, and sleeping in the woods, while women with anxiety and fear showed significant differences in the preference of walking barefoot in forests, mountain walking in silence, listening to water sounds/ hand and foot soak, self-esteem recovery program, NLP therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, aroma therapy, integrated art therapy in forests, forest bathing/wind bathing/sunbathing, a deep breath of air/phytoncide, and observing stars. Women with depression, hopelessness, helplessness, loneliness, and sadness showed significant differences in eating organic foods, self-esteem recovery program, counseling/coaching, and cognitive behavior therapy. The significance of this study was to analyze the preference of subfertile women, as subjects, for forest therapy program. The results of this study are expected to be used as basis data for developing forest therapy programs for subfertile women.