Current Development Status of Forest Therapy in China

As a result of rapid urbanization and urban sprawl, natural ecosystems are shrinking or are fragmented, affecting people’s health and quality of life. Modern people prefer to live in large cities rather than rural areas because of greater convenience and more comfortable living conditions. As a consequence, people are suffering from many psycho-physiological health problems and have a longing for natural environments to escape the concrete jungle. Forest therapy has emerged as a preventive and alternative therapy to cope with stress and enhance people’s health and wellbeing as a result of spending time in a green and healthy environment. Here, we review the activities related to forest therapy in China and discuss the commonalities and differences between the forest therapy types. Furthermore, we summarize the current achievements of forest therapy in basic research and the development of the forest therapy industry. We also describe the challenges that forest therapy has been facing. Finally, we provide suggestions for further development in research and industry.