A new training location in Sichuan is bringing the FTHub Method into direct dialogue with the Chinese landscape, while creating new opportunities for exchange between practitioners and researchers in China and Europe.
Deep in Sichuan, a new chapter for Forest Therapy is taking shape. At Wang Gang Ping, practitioners are stepping into the landscape, experiencing the practice, and learning how to guide others. Wang Gang Ping has now become an official FTHub training location following a new partnership with FTHub. The collaboration is part of FTHub’s longer-term work in China, bringing together professional training, research, and opportunities for practitioners from China and Europe to learn from one another.
Bringing the FTHub Method to Sichuan
For Betty Fang, FTHub’s Capacity Building & Content Manager, the partnership marks an important step in building bonds based on research, experience, and international exchange. She explains that it includes the signing of an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and the delivery of our first three-day immersive training in China, which about 20 students participated in. The immersive training gave participants an opportunity to move beyond theory and experience the principles of Forest Therapy directly in nature. This practical dimension is central to the FTHub Method, which combines evidence-informed practice with sensory engagement, facilitation skills, safety, and an understanding of the relationship between people and their social and natural environments.
For Betty, this combination of training and dialogue is an important part of developing the field. She states: We have also successfully organized two China-Europe Forest Bathing Forums at Wang Gang Ping, bringing together practitioners, researchers, and partners from China and Europe to exchange knowledge and explore the development of Forest Therapy and nature-based wellbeing in China.” As such, the forums complement the training itself. One creates space for practitioners to develop their skills and experience; the other creates space for the wider field to question, compare, and learn. Together, they point towards a model of international development based not simply on bringing an established approach to a new country, but on creating opportunities for knowledge to move in both directions.
Growing Forest Therapy Without Losing Its Roots
Wang Gang Ping offers a concrete example of how professional training, direct experience, evidence-informed practice, and international exchange can come together in a natural setting. For FTHub, the development in China is part of a broader effort to strengthen Forest Therapy as a professional field while supporting the people and partnerships shaping its development in different parts of the world.
The collaboration is now moving into its next phase. FTHub is close to finalizing a second cooperation and training site in another part of China, further expanding its network and creating new opportunities for professional training. The location will be announced once the partnership is formally confirmed.
As Forest Therapy develops across different countries and landscapes, partnerships such as the one at Wang Gang Ping create an opportunity to consider not only how the practice travels, but also how it evolves through contact with new places, practitioners, and perspectives.
Act now, enrolling in our Forest Bathing Guide Training and Forest Therapy Practitioner Training. Grow together, equipping you with essential skills to lead transformative experiences in nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FTHub’s new partnership in China?
FTHub has partnered with Wang Gang Ping in Sichuan, establishing it as an official FTHub training location. The partnership includes a signed Memorandum of Understanding and FTHub’s first three-day immersive training in China, which brought together about 20 participants for hands-on learning in the forest.
What is the FTHub Method?
The FTHub Method is FTHub’s evidence-informed approach to facilitating Forest Therapy, combining sensory engagement, facilitation skills, safety practices, and attention to the relationship between people and their social and natural environments. It underpins FTHub’s training programs, including the one now delivered in China.
What are the China-Europe Forest Bathing Forums?
The China-Europe Forest Bathing Forums are gatherings organized by FTHub and its partners at Wang Gang Ping. They bring together practitioners, researchers, and partners from China and Europe. Two forums have been held so far, focused on exchanging knowledge and exploring the development of Forest Therapy and nature-based wellbeing in China.
Is FTHub planning more training locations in China?
Yes. FTHub is finalizing a second strategic partnership and training site in another part of China, which will further expand its network there. The exact location will be announced once the partnership is formally confirmed.
Who leads FTHub’s work in China?
Betty Fang, FTHub’s Capacity Building & Content Manager for Singapore and China, oversees the organization’s work in the region, including the partnership with Wang Gang Ping and the China-Europe Forest Bathing Forums.
