• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.693-702
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for developing effective forest healing programs for retirees by identifying their characteristics and preferences. A survey was conducted on demographic characteristics, overall perceptions of forest healing, and preferences for forest healing programs, targeting a total of 258 retirees visiting a natural recreation forest and a healing forest. The results of the survey suggested that the awareness of the forest treatment program and the hope of participating in it were both high, but the experience of participating in the program was low. Among the forest healing programs, the order of preference was "Breath in the forest", "Wind bathing and sunbathing", and "Feeling negative ions in the valley". Based on these results, it is expected that the forest healing program for retirees will be used as basic data for development of such programs in the future.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.683-694
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• 2020

Background and objective: Cancer is the number one cause of death in Korea, and it affects any part of the body regardless of gender and age. Forest healing is a treatment that maximizes the effect of treatment and improves the quality of life. This study aims to provide basic data for the development and implementation of differentiated forest healing programs for cancer patients based on the survey on their interest and needs for the programs. Methods: The subjects were those diagnosed with cancer from October 2018 to April 2019, and this study used 144 copies of the questionnaire retrieved. The sample size of this study (n = 144) was the appropriate size required by G-Power, and the collected responses were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Results: In the frequency analysis on the interest in forest healing, 79.2% of the subjects had no experience participating in forest healing, but 87% were aware of it, and 82.6% showed the intention to participate in forest healing programs. This indicates that even though not many of them have experience participating in forest healing, they showed high interest and needs for participation. They preferred to participate in spring (29.9%) and fall (27.8%), in programs carried out for 1.5-2 hours in the morning on weekdays. Conclusion: This study has implications for the analysis on forest healing needs of cancer patients, and it is necessary to plan, develop, and implement differentiated forest healing programs that meet the needs of the cancer patients depending on their characteristics. There is also a need to plan forest healing program that can promote both psychological stability and physical health of cancer patients and verify and evaluate their effects based on specialized training of forest healing instructors.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.35-48
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• 2018

This research was carried out to provide a good quality forest healing program as a basic source of development by researching the general characteristics of users of Geiji Mountain in North Jeolla Province, the recognition of forest healing and regional preference programs. As a result of the survey, Geigisan Mountain is used as a natural place for recreation and leisure of residents of Jeonju. The most important factors in the selection of forest healing programs for visitors were the activities, organization and chronology of the program, and the main purpose was to improve health. Week-by-week programs utilizing weekends were preferred for management of forest healing programs. It was revealed that sports programs prefer to enjoy natural scenery, forest experience programs, healing programs, forest therapy programs, meditation programs, and listening to forest music. The outcome of this study is expected to be used as a basic source for developing and researching a program for forest healing in the area of Mt. Meanwhile, the limit on the composition of suitable forest healing programs according to preference is required for continuous and continuous integrated study of the forest healing program for the future of the forest healing program.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2021

This study was conducted to identify the interest, needs, and preferences for forest healing programs of patients with chronic diseases. A total of 227 individuals with chronic diseases who were admitted to a university hospital were surveyed on the needs and preferences of forest healing programs. The participants of this study were 111 patients (48.9%) with cardiovascular disease, 88 patients (38.8%) with gastrointestinal diseases, 39 patients with musculoskeletal disease (17.2%), and 78 patients (34.3%) with other diseases. About 51% of all participants had heard of the forest healing programs, but 94.3% of the participants said they had no experience in participating. The frequency of forest visits was the most often once a month or not, and the reason for not being able to participate in forest healing programs was "because there was no time to spare." The participants generally preferred a small group programs with family members or their friends for one day or two days. The preferred seasons were spring and autumn, and the preferred time zones were morning and weekend, and the participants preferred outdoor programs rather than indoors. An important factors of the programs were dense forests, trees, landscape, sound, and fresh air. These preferences can be applied when developing forest healing programs for patients with chronic diseases.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.49-58
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of weekend forest healing programs using urban forest on family cohesion and family relationship improvement and parental satisfaction with programs. 21 families (65 people)participated in the weekend forest healing program in Incheon Grand Park from April to August 2018. The program using family forest experience activity and forest healing therapy was newly constructed and implemented with 4 times 8 hours for 2 hours each week. The results of this study is that weekend forest healing programs for family gave a positive effect on family cohesion and family relationship, and parents' satisfaction showed high satisfaction in most items. Therefore, we concluded that forest healing activities are suitable for effective healing activities in modern society where functions such as family cohesion and emotional bond are recognized as important by improving family cohesion and family relationship. Further research should be extended to different types of families, and the development of diverse and interesting family-experience forest healing programs that reflect family needs should continue.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.377-385
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• 2020

Background and objective: In the Republic of Korea, military service is mandatory. Some of new recruits have the stress from the special environment, which could cause psychological maladjustment. The military forces have operated education programs such as green camp and healing camp. The study was conducted to investigate changes in psychological and physiological stress by conducting forest healing activities along with plant scent treatment for soldiers participating in a green camp. Methods: A total of 52 soldiers were participated including maladjustment soldiers and those recommended by their military units to protect the unfit soldiers who participated in forest healing activities in the green camp. The programs that were certified by the Korea Forest Service between 2014 and 2019, and were applied for stress reduction and relaxation training were classified into stress-coping programs and forest experience programs. Post-hoc surveys and cortisol measurements were carried out. Results: Green camp soldiers experience and differences in the level of stress responses were found to be very statistically significant between the treatment and control groups. The techniques for coping with stress were not significantly different in the control group, and the treatment group showed statistically significant results. In addition, the results of analyzing changes in the concentration of cortisol and measuring physiological stress were very statistically significant in forest healing activities at 4 p.m. Conclusion: Once green camp soldiers face stressful situations, forest healing programs using forest plant scents for green camp soldiers can have positive responses and forest healing activities can reduce psychological and physiological stress responses, improving maladjustment behaviors caused by stress and positively affecting the reduction of cortisol.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.575-589
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• 2018

This study analyzed the changes in Electroencephalogram(EEG) and Electrocardiogram(ECG) depending on the healing environment in order to find a way to improve the forest healing program based on the healing environment in response to the demand for qualitative improvement of the program since the program is a charged service. This study selected eight sites running forest healing programs at four national healing forests (i.e., Saneum, Cheongtaesan, Daegwanryeng, and Jangseong) - two routes per national healing forest - considering forest environments. This study chose NUMBER standard sampling plots ($20{\times}20m$) and measured three atmospheric environment items, seven physical environment items, two soil environment items, and eight vegetation environment items including forest sound and anion at each plot to evaluate physiological changes in it. EEG and ECG, which have been widely used in forest healing evaluation, were utilized as criteria. Seventy three subjects were selected with taking the age, drug, caffeine, smoking, and the time of last meal into consideration. As a result, EEG changes were correlated with three atmospheric environment items, six physical environment items, one soil environment item, and two vegetation environment items. ECG changes were significantly correlated with two atmospheric environment items, six physical environment items, two soil environment items, and two vegetation environment items (p<.05). It is expected that 11 environmental factors such as temperature, density, and altitude affecting EEG (e.g., alpha balance and gamma balance) and ECG (e.g., HRV mean) could be used as effective tools in developing more differentiated programs for improving healing effects.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.468-474
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• 2021

Forest healing is a natural method that utilizes various natural environmental factors of forests to enhance immunity and to heal mental and physical pathologies. The aim of this study is to suggest implications for the future development of forest healing by analyzing the characteristics of facilities and programs in 28 national and public healing forests in Korea. The concept of forest healing and programs is defined, and healing forests operating in Korea are classified by size. The facility operation and program characteristics of healing forests were analyzed according to size, and the results were used to suggest a future direction for the development of domestic forest healing. The research results are as follows. First, domestic healing forests have gradually been reduced in size since they were first opened in 2009, which is the cause of the competitive creation of local governments. Second, healing spaces, forest paths, and programs for the elderly, pregnant women and disabled should be expanded. Third, lodging programs need to be expanded, and subsidies for usage fees from local governments are required. Institutional supplementation should be provided to link program development and facilities and to clarify procedures and standards for forest healing facilities.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2018

This study aimed to improve the quality of forest healing program through analyses of the program activities given at National Healing Forest and surveys conducted by Korea Forest Service. 99 DB data of the healing forest that were surveyed by KFS (August 2015~April 2016) were collected in order to affirm the activities. We analysed DB based on the format of the survey by target, 6 healing factors, location, season, time periods, operation hours and multifaceted evaluation. The results showed that the activities in the forest healing program targeted general public and the factor that was considered the most was psychotherapy factor. Healing forest trails were used as a location, spring, summer and fall as season, morning and afternoon as time period for the majority of the activities. The running time was 60 minutes. The multifaceted evaluation revealed that dynamic activities were preferred the most in development of programs. According to the results of the forest healing programs, it seems to be critical to enhance forest healing instructors' diversified professionalism. However, this will only be achievable once further investigations regarding forest healing effects by types of illnesses are conducted and provide solid foundation for such professionalism.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.43-51
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• 2015

Stresses from desolate urban environments cause illnesses and worsen health conditions of urban residents, while natural environments have a positive influence on human. Natural healing programs such as forest therapy and horticultural therapy can be differentiated by the characteristic of activity space. However, previous studies of healing programs have focused on either forest therapy or horticulture therapy and there is a limit to comprehending the effects of adopting and connecting various healing programs. This study compares and analyzes the physiological and psychological effects of forest therapy and horticultural therapy to identify the effects and differences by types of healing programs. The before and after effects of horticultural therapy and forest therapy are measured by experiment and survey for 5 days with 5 subjects in each program. For physiological reaction, blood pressure, pulse, and cortisol levels are measured and the profile of moods states(POMS) is used to measure psychological reaction. Collected data are analyzed with the analysis of variance(ANOVA) and Paired-Sample T-test in SPSS 18.0. The results of this study are as follows: 1) forest therapy and horticultural therapy show positive effects in physiological and physiological aspects, 2) forest therapy is more effective than horticultural therapy in physiological relaxation and stress mitigation, 3) horticultural therapy has a tendency to alleviate depression more effectively than forest therapy. In conclusion, this study contributes to providing fundamental information for the development of healing programs and design guidelines for healing spaces through identifying the characteristics of each healing program.