The Health Benefits of Owning Woodland

Something to look forward to in the coming months especially given the current lockdown might be visits to a woodland either as a member of the public or as an owner.  Over the last few years there has been several articles about the health benefits of regular trips down to a woodland.  Indeed there has been a large number of Forest bathing companies launched to help people benefit from this little known phenomenon. 

We at Tustins only have to look around at our industry to know that there must be something in the water when it comes to forestry practitioners and woodland owners.  Nearly all seem to  stay physically active and carry on working long into most people's normal retirement years.   

Extensive Research into this field has been carried out by the Nippon Medical School which has been trying to prove how Forest bathing, Shinrin-yoku, a Japanese tradition  can strengthen our immune systems in relation to fighting off disease.  Studies have shown that regular woodland visitors or residents appear to have some resistance to Cancer.   Their reseach has concluded that exposure to the atmosphere in a forest can increase the number and presence of the body's own natural immunity through increased number of Natural killer cells. 

Added to all the other economic and other mental health benefits of owning woodland, we can only hope that woodland ownership continues to be something that more people aspire to over the coming years.