Some paths unfold slowly, through presence, listening, and the quiet work of building trust across distance and difference. Forest Therapy Hub’s relationship with China has grown through years of encounters, shared experiences, and an increasing sense of mutual recognition. From early conversations and academic exchanges, to walking together through forests, standing alongside practitioners, training locals and learning from them knowledge systems, each step has added depth to a collaboration shaped as much by human connection as by professional purpose.
These journeys have revealed a strong and growing interest in FTHub’s approach within China’s academic, institutional, and public spheres.
As the Lunar New Year opens its annual new cycle, Forest Therapy Hub enters a moment of expansion. The launch of FTHub’s Chinese-language website coincides with this transition, reflecting greater accessibility, deeper commitment to working in resonance with local academic, cultural, and ecological contexts.
Forest Therapy Hub has just returned to China as part of a series of academic and field-based initiatives that mark an important step in this evolving collaboration. Alex Gesse, Executive Director, together with Betty Fang, Capacity Building & Content Coordinator, took part in a sequence of meetings, lectures, and applied sessions designed to strengthen this unique exchange between FTHub and Chinese institutions and practitioners working in the field of nature-based health.
Silk Road steps
These days find Forest Therapy Hub back in China, working in Forest Therapy and nature-based health, including ongoing exchanges with Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU).
As part of this visit, which began on January 19 with the team’s arrival in China and ended with a visit to Shanghai, Alex Gesse, Executive Director of Forest Therapy Hub, and Betty Fang, Capacity Building & Content Coordinator, took part in academic and field-based engagements developed across several regions of the country.
Between January 20 and 22, activities took place in Sichuan, where Alex was invited to speak at the Sino-European Forest Bathing Summit held at Sichuan University. Together with Prof. Yang Zhenzhi (杨振之), Ph.D. from Sichuan University and currently serving as a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Tourism, Sichuan University, he delivered a keynote lecture offering an international perspective on forest therapy, combining research, training, and applied practice. The exchange promoted in-depth dialogue between Chinese and European participants and generated strong interest around methodology, implementation, and the development of Forest Therapy within different cultural and institutional contexts.
On January 23 and 24, the visit continued in the Wanggangping mountain area in Sichuan with field-based activities involving local stakeholders, practitioners, and professionals working in forest-based health and education. In this setting, Alex guided a session designed as a training experience for 30–40 participants from all different regions of China. The session brought together FTHub’s methodological approach and the region’s winter ecology, creating a shared learning environment focused on practice, observation, and adaptation. This phase of the visit marked an important step in building collaborative capacity with Chinese stakeholders engaged in Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy.
The visit then concluded in Fuzhou on January 25, where Forest Therapy Hub formally strengthened its collaboration with Shanxi Agricultural University (SXAU). During this stage, FTHub contributed to an ongoing Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy training process taking place within the university environment, sharing methodological perspectives and training content. The visit culminated in the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Forest Therapy Hub and Shanxi Agricultural University, marking a new phase of academic and institutional cooperation in the development of Forest Therapy in China.
A New Agreement of Collaboration
Forest Therapy Hub (FTHub) and Shanxi Agricultural University (SXAU) have formally entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a collaborative framework dedicated to the development and scientific advancement of Forest Therapy.
This strategic partnership brings together two key institutions in the field: one which plays a central role in the expansion of Forest Therapy in China, and the other, an international reference for research, training, and methodological development in nature-based interventions. The agreement was officially signed by Alex Gesse and Professor Kong Zhaosheng, Vice President of Shanxi Agricultural University.
The partnership advances cross-border cooperation while strengthening scientific exchange and cultural understanding between the two organizations. Within this framework, FTHub and SXAU will work together on a number of key initiatives, including:
- Joint research and teaching, through collaborative research projects and the development of specialized educational programs;
- Academic exchange, including participation in seminars and academic conferences, as well as the co-organization of academic exchange activities linked to training programmes;
- Funding and development, by exploring joint funding opportunities to support research activities and cultivating a cooperative framework based on equality and mutual benefit.
Entering a Shared Rhythm: Forest Therapy Hub in Chinese
With the arrival of the Lunar New Year and the quiet pull of the New Moon, a new chapter begins for Forest Therapy Hub. The launch of our Chinese-language website marks a translation, an update. But above all, it reflects a broader process of opening and listening, of learning how to move in resonance with different cultural, temporal, and ecological contexts.
This step forms part of a broader, long-term process that brings together academic collaboration, programme development, and sustained engagement across regions. As our trainings become available in seven languages and adapts to different time zones, this evolution strengthens our presence in Asia and deepens our capacity to work in a truly interconnected way: one that values continuity, dialogue, and mutual learning across cultures for long-term, grounded impact.
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.
