Benefits of Group Walking in Forests for People with Significant Mental Ill-Health

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of group walking in forests for people with significant mental ill-health including depression, bipolar and anxiety disorders based on a pilot program in Ireland. The program consisted of activities in a forest setting for approximately 2 hr duration weekly, for 13 weeks, which included roughly 10 min of gentle warming-up exercises, 1–1.5 hr of forest walks, followed by approximately 30 min of refreshments/socializing on the forest sites. Fifteen participants were assessed. The results indicated significant improvements in mood, measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, immediately after a walk. Semi-structured interviews with a sample of participants also revealed that the quiet and uncrowded forest environment was particularly beneficial to the participants with significant mental ill-health, as they can be conscious of other people around them. In addition, the sense of escaping from everyday life, the beauty of nature, and having something interesting to look at in the forest environments were important elements for improving their mood, encouraging communication, and motivating regular participation. Despite the difficulty of separating the effects of being in the forest from the social interaction benefits or physical exercise, it can tentatively be concluded that the “positive” environment that forests provide can act as a first step in encouraging those with significant mental ill-health to reengage with society. Key Words: Human-health benefits of forests—Depression—Mood change—Forest group walk—Restorative effects.