Forest therapy reduces suicide risk and depression, study finds

Forest therapy programs significantly reduced suicide risk, hopelessness and depression in a study released by the National Institute of Forest Science. The findings come as Korea continues to face a severe mental health crisis and a high suicide rate. The study is tied to the government’s 1,000 Lives Saved Project, which seeks to cut annual suicide deaths by 1,000 through public-private programs and community services.

The study tracked 231 participants using standardized psychological tests before and after forest therapy program participation.

The average Suicide Status Form score fell from 35.05 to 29.48 after the program.

The share of participants classified as high-risk dropped 9.1 percentage points, from 26.4 percent to 17.3 percent.

Personal entries from 168 participants said the program helped settle their emotions and clear their heads.

The Korea Forest Service is helping integrate public forest lands into national mental health support networks under the Office for Government Policy Coordination’s 1,000 Lives Saved Project.

Published Sep 10, 2026 2:30 pm KST

Participants sit in a circle during a forest therapy session on a wooden boardwalk deck, engaging in a mindful tea exercise designed to reduce stress and support mental health recovery. Courtesy of Korea Forest Service

Engaging in structured forest therapy programs significantly reduces suicide risk, feelings of despair and depression, offering a scientifically backed tool for mental health recovery, according to a study released Wednesday by the National Institute of Forest Science.

The findings arrive against the backdrop of an ongoing national mental health crisis in Korea, which has long recorded the highest suicide rate among developed nations. In response to persistent societal stress, hyper-competitive work and academic environments and social isolation, state health agencies have increasingly looked beyond traditional clinical interventions toward community-based and natural preventative measures to build long-term psychological resilience.

To verify the objective efficacy of natural exposure, researchers introduced standardized psychological tests to evaluate numerical shifts before and after program participation. Timed with World Suicide Prevention Day on Thursday, the study analyzed key indicators across 231 participants, tracking changes in suicide risk, hopelessness and depression metrics.

The quantitative results demonstrated a marked decline across all vulnerability markers.

The average score on the Suicide Status Form dropped from 35.05 before the program to 29.48 upon completion. Crucially, the proportion of participants categorized as high-risk — defined by a score of 36 or higher — decreased by 9.1 percentage points, dropping from 26.4 percent down to 17.3 percent.

Alongside the hard numbers, personal entries from 168 participants showed a clear pattern: The program helped settle their emotions and clear their heads.

Participants reported that immersive woodland activities provided a necessary psychological buffer, allowing them time for quiet self-reflection away from daily pressures. A significant majority expressed an intention to integrate forest visits into their regular personal routines as a long-term strategy for stress regulation and self-care.

The study aligns with the Korea Forest Service’s contribution to the government’s "1,000 Lives Saved Project." Managed by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the campaign aims to reduce annual suicide deaths by 1,000 through joint public-private programs and expanded community services. Through the initiative, officials are integrating public forest lands into national mental health support networks.

"This study marks a meaningful step in linking the psychological restorative power of forest therapy with national suicide prevention efforts," said Lee Hyun-jin, a researcher at the institute's Forest Human Service Division. "We will continue building scientific evidence so forest therapy can serve as a recognized resource for public suicide prevention."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

韩国国立林业科学研究院发布的一项研究表明，森林疗法项目能显著降低自杀风险、绝望感和抑郁症状。韩国目前正面临严重的心理健康危机和居高不下的自杀率，这项研究结果显得尤为重要。该研究与政府的“拯救千人生命项目”密切相关，该项目旨在通过公私合作项目和社区服务，每年减少1000例自杀死亡。

该研究对 231 名参与者在参与森林疗法项目前后进行了标准化心理测试。

该计划实施后，自杀状况评估表的平均得分从 35.05 下降到 29.48。

被归类为高风险的参与者比例下降了 9.1 个百分点，从 26.4% 降至 17.3%。

168 名参与者的个人反馈表明，该节目帮助他们平复情绪，理清思路。

韩国林业厅正在政府政策协调办公室的“拯救千人生命项目”下，帮助将公共林地纳入国家心理健康支持网络。

发布于2026年9月10日下午2:30（韩国标准时间）

在森林疗愈课程中，参与者们围坐在木栈道上，进行冥想茶道练习，旨在减轻压力，促进心理健康恢复。图片由韩国林业厅提供。

根据日本国立森林科学研究所周三发布的一项研究，参与结构化的森林疗法项目可以显著降低自杀风险、绝望感和抑郁情绪，为心理健康恢复提供了一种有科学依据的工具。

这项研究结果出炉之际，正值韩国面临持续的全国性心理健康危机。长期以来，韩国的自杀率在发达国家中位居榜首。为了应对持续的社会压力、竞争激烈的工作和学习环境以及社会孤立等问题，韩国国家卫生机构日益重视传统临床干预措施之外的社区预防和自然预防措施，以增强民众的长期心理韧性。

为了验证自然暴露疗法的客观效果，研究人员引入了标准化心理测试，以评估参与者在项目参与前后各项指标的变化。这项研究恰逢周四的世界预防自杀日，分析了231名参与者的关键指标，追踪了自杀风险、绝望感和抑郁程度的变化。

定量结果表明，所有脆弱性指标均显著下降。

项目结束后，自杀状况评估表的平均得分从项目实施前的35.05分降至29.48分。至关重要的是，被归类为高风险人群（得分36分或以上）的比例下降了9.1个百分点，从26.​​4%降至17.3%。

除了硬性数据之外，168 名参与者的个人反馈也显示出一个明显的模式：该节目帮助他们平复情绪，理清思路。

参与者表示，沉浸式的森林活动为他们提供了必要的心理缓冲，让他们能够远离日常压力，进行安静的自我反思。绝大多数参与者表示，他们打算将森林游览融入到日常生活中，作为长期调节压力和自我关怀的策略。

这项研究与韩国林业厅对政府“拯救千人生命项目”的贡献相契合。该项目由政府政策协调室负责管理，旨在通过公私合作项目和扩大社区服务，每年减少1000例自杀死亡。通过这项举措，政府官员正在将公共林地纳入国家心理健康支持网络。

“这项研究标志着将森林疗法的心理疗愈作用与国家自杀预防工作联系起来迈出了重要一步，”该研究所森林人类服务部的研究员李贤镇（音译）说。“我们将继续积累科学证据，使森林疗法成为公认的公共自杀预防资源。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。