Development of Structural Criteria for the Certification and Designation of Recreational and Therapeutic Forests in Bavaria, Germany
Background: Based on the increasing evidence of forest on health, a research project assessed the structural certification criteria of recreational and therapeutic forests in 15 Bavarian pilot sites. The main project objectives were (1) to develop a certification standard for recreational and therap...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Forests |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/6/1273 |
| _version_ | 1797594740147879936 |
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| author | Gisela Immich Eva Robl |
| author_facet | Gisela Immich Eva Robl |
| author_sort | Gisela Immich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Based on the increasing evidence of forest on health, a research project assessed the structural certification criteria of recreational and therapeutic forests in 15 Bavarian pilot sites. The main project objectives were (1) to develop a certification standard for recreational and therapeutic forests and (2) to establish a certification and designation process. Methods: Relevant criteria were identified by a literature review. The findings, in conjunction with landscape planning principles, were used to develop a catalog of certification criteria, which was then tested and amended in field testing in the pilot sites. Results: The criteria catalog for recreational and therapeutic forests was structured into four sections: general requirements, forest-specific requirements, safety and infrastructure, and preventive and/or therapeutic interventions. At 13 pilot sites, 13 recreational forests and 3 therapeutic forests were designated, 47 professionals were trained, the designation process and a certification body were established, and the results were published in a manual (BayKK KuH). Conclusions: This newly developed Bavarian certification standard for recreational and therapeutic forests represents an innovative synthesis of science and empirical on-site experience. It enables interested parties to develop a recreational or therapeutic forest on the basis of transparently published standards in order to use the health-promoting effects of the forest in prevention and therapy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:27:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-89a2970cd6e842a8985331cca183c332 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:27:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-89a2970cd6e842a8985331cca183c3322023-11-18T10:28:43ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072023-06-01146127310.3390/f14061273Development of Structural Criteria for the Certification and Designation of Recreational and Therapeutic Forests in Bavaria, GermanyGisela Immich0Eva Robl1Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research (IBE), Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyChair of Public Health and Health Services Research (IBE), Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyBackground: Based on the increasing evidence of forest on health, a research project assessed the structural certification criteria of recreational and therapeutic forests in 15 Bavarian pilot sites. The main project objectives were (1) to develop a certification standard for recreational and therapeutic forests and (2) to establish a certification and designation process. Methods: Relevant criteria were identified by a literature review. The findings, in conjunction with landscape planning principles, were used to develop a catalog of certification criteria, which was then tested and amended in field testing in the pilot sites. Results: The criteria catalog for recreational and therapeutic forests was structured into four sections: general requirements, forest-specific requirements, safety and infrastructure, and preventive and/or therapeutic interventions. At 13 pilot sites, 13 recreational forests and 3 therapeutic forests were designated, 47 professionals were trained, the designation process and a certification body were established, and the results were published in a manual (BayKK KuH). Conclusions: This newly developed Bavarian certification standard for recreational and therapeutic forests represents an innovative synthesis of science and empirical on-site experience. It enables interested parties to develop a recreational or therapeutic forest on the basis of transparently published standards in order to use the health-promoting effects of the forest in prevention and therapy.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/6/1273forest therapyforest bathingrecreational foresttherapeutic forestnature-based MBSRclimatotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Gisela Immich Eva Robl Development of Structural Criteria for the Certification and Designation of Recreational and Therapeutic Forests in Bavaria, Germany Forests forest therapy forest bathing recreational forest therapeutic forest nature-based MBSR climatotherapy |
| title | Development of Structural Criteria for the Certification and Designation of Recreational and Therapeutic Forests in Bavaria, Germany |
| title_full | Development of Structural Criteria for the Certification and Designation of Recreational and Therapeutic Forests in Bavaria, Germany |
| title_fullStr | Development of Structural Criteria for the Certification and Designation of Recreational and Therapeutic Forests in Bavaria, Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development of Structural Criteria for the Certification and Designation of Recreational and Therapeutic Forests in Bavaria, Germany |
| title_short | Development of Structural Criteria for the Certification and Designation of Recreational and Therapeutic Forests in Bavaria, Germany |
| title_sort | development of structural criteria for the certification and designation of recreational and therapeutic forests in bavaria germany |
| topic | forest therapy forest bathing recreational forest therapeutic forest nature-based MBSR climatotherapy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/6/1273 |
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