Gulf Coast Creation Care is excited to partner with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to bring the first forest therapy trail to lower Alabama.
This self-guided Forest Therapy Trail is installed on the Live Oak Loop of the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center at 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard, Spanish Fort, Alabama.
Forest therapy, forest bathing, and shinrin-yoku are all terms for a practice to improve health that began in Japan in the 1980s. Forest therapy can be either active or restful. Active practices can include vigorous walking, yoga, and breathing forest air deeply into the lungs. Restful practices can involve slowing down, breathing deeply, contemplation, and close observation of surroundings.
Forest therapy and time spent in nature have been proven to have many health benefits including decreased stress levels, anxiety, depression, and frequency of headaches; help with anger issues and weight loss; enhanced cognitive function; and improved immune function.
Additional forest therapy trails are planned for Camp Beckwith in southern Baldwin County and the Mobile Japanese Gardens.
