Forest Bathing is Healthy

Recently, some ACES friends mentioned the Japanese inspired practice of "Forest Bathing". This caught my attention since I recently had an educational experience about forest bathing for the first time.

As the Volunteer Coordinator and member of the Port Parks Alliance (PPA), I cleared a vegetated area around two “bonded” trees that are located on the rail trail heading towards the Newburyport MBTA train station and just before the Low Street overpass. This phenomenon is known as “inosculation" which occurs when two individual trees growing in close proximity become morphologically joined. There was overgrowth around this tree, referred to as a "Bonded Pair", and the trees were barely visible. I removed much of this overgrowth, trimmed many bushes, weeded the area around it, added a cobblestone outline, and mulched. The bonded pair can now be seen easily from the rail trail.

While I was working on clearing the area around the bonded pair, a person stopped by and told me about “forest bathing” in Japan. This practice involves people walking through the forest and enjoying the various features of nature. According to an NPR podcast, the act of spending time in the forest is what the Japanese call “shinrin-yoku”, which means "bathing in the forest atmosphere". Think of this “bathing” as a relaxed, open-minded wander around the woods. And it's good for your health! NPR noted it can boost your immune system, lower blood pressure, and help with depression. Forest bathing can also reduce stress hormones, turning down the dial on your body's flight or fight response.

Psychology Today states that, "In shifting our attention away from self-involved concerns and toward the world around us, forest bathing helps people connect more fully with what is beyond the self, imbuing us with an expanded sense of spirituality." With great rail trails and 26 parks in Newburyport, we could become an epicenter of Forest Bathing! If you have experienced some of these benefits let us know and maybe you can help spread the word to others who appreciate it, too.

We welcome hearing from any interested parties who would like to contribute to the welfare of our parks as we support the city’s Parks Dept. We provide additional support for the general maintenance and clean-up of the parks. In addition, when special projects come up and the maintenance crew needs help, we reach out to citizens, high school students, sports teams, Boy/Girl Scouts, and various other organizations for their support. As the coordinator for these activities, please contact me with any question about these activities at biacono@comcast.net.

The Port Parks Alliance was formed to support and collaborate with the City of Newburyport to enhance the care, preservation, and enhancement of Newburyport parks. You can learn more about the Alliance by visiting www.portparksalliance.com.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List" link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on November 8, 2024.