Our Projects
Research and Innovation in
Nature-Based Health
The Forest Therapy Institute Lab has contributed to a growing portfolio of international research and innovation projects since 2022. Our work spans Forest Therapy, nature-based social prescribing, therapeutic landscapes, nature-based interventions, and citizen science, funded by leading EU programs and delivered in partnership with universities, research centers, and community organizations worldwide.
Each project listed below represents applied collaboration and measurable impact. We include project names, funding programs, and partner networks so you can verify our track record and assess how it can fit your own initiatives.
Current research
Current projects
Research and innovation initiatives
NATURELAB
Nature-Based Interventions for Improving Health and Well-Being
Horizon Europe | 2023–2027 | EUR 6M
| Project Name | NATURELAB | Nature-Based Interventions for Improving Health and Well-Being |
| Funding Program | Horizon Europe (Grant Agreement No. 101083857) |
| Duration | 2023 – 2027 (4 years) |
| Total Budget | EUR 6,000,000 |
| Status | Active |
| FTHub’s Role | “Design, Implementation and Validation of Nature-Based Therapies.” FTHub leads the design, implementation, and validation of tailored nature-based therapeutic programs across multiple countries and health conditions using the FTHub 5 Components of Nature-based Interventions. |
| Key Objectives | Establish and validate the methodology, structure, and components for a portfolio of nature-based therapy structured programs. Define the formal requirements protocol for nature-based practitioners, recruitment, and training to conduct interventions and supervise replication. The project involves 4,000 participants across 15 experimental sites in rural, urban, and coastal areas in 5 countries. |
| Partner Institutions | Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (Portugal) · University of Greifswald (Germany)· BioCon Valley GmbH (Germany)· Forest Therapy Hub (Portugal) · Asociación Peruana de Horticultura Terapéutica y Social (Peru) · KMOP (Greece) · Ficus Perú (Peru) · Klinikum der Universität zu Köln (Germany) · Wageningen University (Netherlands) · Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands) · Canary Wharf Consulting Limited · Rio Neiva · Município de Sintra (Portugal)· Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (Portugal) |
| Countries | Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Peru, and the United Kingdom |
| Link | + INFO |
PHorestAll
Planetary Health by Healing Forests as a Nature-Based Solution
Biodiversa+ | 2025–2028 | EUR 1M
| Project Name | PHorestAll | Planetary Health by Healing Forests as a Nature-Based Solution |
| Funding Program | Biodiversa+ (European Biodiversity Partnership) |
| Duration | March 2025 – 2028 (3 years) |
| Total Budget | EUR 1,026,284 |
| Status | Active |
| FTHub’s Role | Lead partner for Forest Therapy interventions. FTHub deploys the FTHub Method, the LIM Model, and the FTHub 5 Components of Nature-Based Interventions across multiple forest sites and countries. FTHub leads 60 Forest Therapy sessions throughout various seasons and regions to assess health outcomes and contribute to the classification of “Healing Forests.” |
| Key Objectives | Explore how forests promote health through elements like soil microbiomes and BVOCs (biogenic volatile organic compounds). Develop standardized protocols to assess the health benefits of forest therapies. Establish a pioneering approach to identify, assess, and define “Healing Forests” and integrate findings into public health policies. |
| Partner Institutions | Agency for the Development of Nature Tourism (Portugal) · Department of Life Sciences, Center for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra (Portugal) · Department of Population Medicine, Medical University of Białystok (Poland) · School of Forestry, National Taiwan University (Taiwan) · Slovenian Forestry Institute · Institute for Balneology and Climatology, University of Maribor (Slovenia) · Forest Therapy Hub (Portugal) |
| Countries | Portugal, Poland, Taiwan, Lithuania, and Slovenia |
| Link | + INFO |
THERAPEUTIC ITINERARIES
Design, Planning and Certification of Therapeutic Trails in Natural Parks
Privately funded | 2025–2026
| Project Name | THERAPEUTIC ITINERARIES | Design, Planning and Certification of Therapeutic Trails in Natural Parks |
| Funding Program | Privately funded (direct commission) |
| Duration | 2025 – 2026 |
| Status | Active |
| FTHub’s Role | FTHub assesses, designs, and certifies the therapeutic itineraries, applying its five-block assessment framework (Environmental Characteristics, Infrastructure and Spatial Characteristics, Nature and Cultural Ecosystem Services, Risk Assessment, Visitor and Therapeutic Experience) together with the FTHub Method and the FTHub 5 Components of Nature-Based Interventions. FTHub produces the technical design dossiers, the sensory point sequences, the entrance panel content, the self-guided activity programs and the phased action plan towards certification. |
| Key Objectives | Convert four existing trails into certified therapeutic itineraries through a low-intervention design model: Can Grau (Garraf), La Domus del Pi (Guilleries-Savassona), Can Bladet (Foix) and Circular Route 7A (Montnegre i el Corredor). Establish a replicable assessment and certification methodology for therapeutic trails, based on five analysis blocks and a 1 to 5 rubric. Deliver self-guided sensory activity programs that work without technology, with optional digital extensions and accessible signage including Braille. Define a phased action plan towards Gold and Platinum certification, with measurable KPIs and an annual self-monitoring system. |
| Customer | Diputació de Barcelona, Xarxa de Parcs Naturals (Spain) |
| Countries | Spain |
TWILIGHT FOREST
Design, Planning, and Certification of a Therapeutic Itinerary in Sichuan
Privately funded | 2026–2027
| Project Name | TWILIGHT FOREST | Design, Planning, and Certification of a Therapeutic Itinerary in Sichuan |
| Funding Program | Privately funded (direct commission, Wang Gang Ping) |
| Duration | 2026 – 2027 |
| Status | Active |
| FTHub’s Role | · Lead and sole technical partner across the three pillars of the therapeutic destination model. · Pillar I, Therapeutic Landscape. FTHub conducted the on-site Green & Blue Spaces Assessment and facilitated a Therapeutic Landscape Co-Creation Workshop with the Wang Gang Ping team, applying its five-block assessment framework (Environmental Characteristics, Spatial and Infrastructural Characteristics, Nature and Cultural Ecosystem Services, Risk Assessment, Visitor and Therapeutic Experience) alongside the FTHub Method and the FTHub 5 Components of Nature-Based Interventions. FTHub delivers the technical design of the itinerary, the sensory and barefoot trail concept, the interpretive and emergency signage content, and the phased action plan towards certification. · Pillar II, Capacity Building and Program Design. FTHub trains the local team through its certification pathway: FTHub Certified Forest Bathing Guide and FTHub Certified Forest Therapy Practitioner. · Pillar III, Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement. FTHub sets the methodology and quality standards for delivery, verifies implementation against certification criteria, and establishes the evaluation system for visitor experience and program outcomes |
| Key Objectives | · Transform an existing coniferous forest site into a certified therapeutic itinerary through low-impact, high-value interventions that protect its intangible assets: deep-forest atmosphere, moss cover, leaf litter, and natural soundscape. · Design a sensory and barefoot experience trail, acoustically protected reflection areas, and facilitator-ready spaces. · Build local capacity by certifying guides and practitioners from the Wang Gang Ping team and the surrounding community, so that programs are delivered by qualified local professionals rather than external providers. · Design a program portfolio covering both wellness tourism experiences and structured health-oriented interventions, from short sensory activities to multi-week forest therapy programs. · Introduce aromatic native planting, hand-painted interpretive signage, and seasonal interpretation linked to the wild mushroom season. · Formalize emergency procedures, preventive maintenance and ecological monitoring, and establish an evidence-based visitor wellbeing evaluation system.· Deliver a phased action plan towards Gold and Platinum certification, with measurable KPIs. |
| Customer | Wang Gang Ping |
| Countries | China |
Back to Nature
Empowering Youth Against Addiction through Forest Therapy
Erasmus+ | 2025–2026 | EUR 60,000
| Project Name | Back to Nature | Empowering Youth Against Addiction through Forest Therapy |
| Funding Program | Erasmus+ |
| Duration | 2025 – 2026 |
| Total Budget | EUR 60,000 |
| Status | Active |
| FTHub’s Role | Partner providing specialized knowledge in Forest Therapy and nature-based interventions. FTHub contributes expertise in training, research through the FTI Lab, and implementation of the FTHub Method for youth populations. FTHub hosts transnational coordination meetings (Lisbon) and co-leads training delivery. |
| Key Objectives | Prevent addiction and enhance mental well-being among young people aged 16–30 through nature-based strategies. Develop a complete Forest Therapy manual as a practical resource for youth workers, educators, and mental health professionals. Research substance use trends among youth in Slovenia, Serbia, and Portugal, and pilot the manual with target populations. |
| Partner Institutions | SGLŽŠ Postojna — Postojna Forestry, Wood Technology and Nursing Secondary Vocational School (Slovenia) · Poenta (Serbia) · Forest Therapy Hub (Portugal) |
| Countries | Slovenia, Serbia, and Portugal |
| Link | + INFO |
RECALL
Upskilling Volunteers for Nature-Based Cognitive Support in Ageing Communities
Erasmus+ | 2026–2027 | EUR 60,000
| Project Name | RECALL | Upskilling Volunteers for Nature-Based Cognitive Support in Ageing Communities |
| Funding Program | Erasmus+ |
| Duration | 2026 – 2027 (1 year) |
| Total Budget | EUR 60,000 |
| Status | Active |
| FTHub’s Role | Methodological lead and training partner. FTHub designs the core nature-based cognitive training methodology, ensuring all modules are evidence-based and aligned with the FTHub Method. FTHub develops the training manual, facilitator guidelines, and accessibility adaptations, and co-delivers pilot trainings in Poland and Slovenia, providing scientific and pedagogical leadership throughout the project. |
| Key Objectives | Develop an accessible, evidence-based training model that equips volunteers to support older adults at risk of cognitive decline through nature-based strategies. Create a practical, low-threshold cognitive toolkit for volunteer-led, non-clinical community settings. Pilot and validate the training in two countries, producing multilingual, accessibility-adapted guidelines for safety, ethics, and translocal adaptation. Strengthen the capacity of community organizations to integrate nature-based cognitive support into active ageing programs. |
| Partner Institutions | PLINEU (Poland) · Forest Therapy Hub (Portugal) · Arboretum Volčji Potok (Slovenia) |
| Countries | Poland, Portugal, and Slovenia |
Forest4Youth
Forest-Based Therapies for Adolescent Mental Health Recovery in NW Europe
Interreg NW Europe | 2025–2029 | EUR 4M
| Project Name | Forest4Youth | Forest-Based Therapies for Adolescent Mental Health Recovery in North-West Europe |
| Funding Program | Interreg North-West Europe |
| Duration | January 2025 – 2029 (4 years) |
| Total Budget | EUR 3,900,000 (approx.) |
| Status | Active |
| FTHub’s Role | An associated partner supporting the development of forest-based therapy protocols. FTHub brings its expertise in nature-based interventions to contribute to the design of care protocols for both mental health professionals and forestry practitioners. |
| Key Objectives | Develop a joint forest-based therapy protocol for adolescents aged 12–18 in psychiatric units across North-West Europe (NWE). Combine real-world forest immersion with virtual reality (VR) therapeutic experiences. Create guidelines for public authorities and foresters, and a training framework for mental health professionals. Address the fact that 17.5% of young people aged 10–19 in NWE suffer from mental health problems. |
| Partner Institutions | Transnational consortium of mental health professionals, forest managers, universities, and public authorities across North-West Europe. |
| Countries | Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Germany |
GreenTouch
Eco Mind for Higher Education Future
Erasmus+ | 2024–2027 | EUR 250,000
| Project Name | GreenTouch | Eco Mind for Higher Education Future |
| Funding Program | Erasmus+ |
| Duration | 2024 – 2027 (3 years) |
| Total Budget | EUR 250,000 |
| Status | Active |
| FTHub’s Role | Partner contributing expertise in nature-based well-being interventions for higher education contexts. |
| Key Objectives | Develop nature-based approaches to support the well-being of higher education students and professors. Create tools and methodologies that integrate nature connection into university environments to address stress, burnout, and mental health challenges in academic settings. |
| Partner Institutions | Rīga Stradiņš University (Latvia) · Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor (Slovenia) · Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus) · Forest Therapy Hub (Portugal). |
| Countries | Slovenia, Latvia, Portugal, and Cyprus |
| Link | + INFO |
Recognition & legacy
Awards & completed
programs
In addition to active research projects, FTHub has received international recognition and conducted foundational programs that contributed to the development of the FTHub Method and its evidence base.
NASC
Nature Ambassadors for Sustainable Change
Erasmus+ | 2025–2026 | EUR 60,000
| Project Name | NASC | Nature Ambassadors for Sustainable Change |
| Funding Program | Erasmus+ |
| Duration | 2025 – 2026 (1 year) |
| Total Budget | EUR 60,000 |
| Status | Completed |
| FTHub’s Role | Co-lead partner with Resilience.Earth. FTHub designs science-based training modules using the FTHub Method, bridging scientific research and practical nature-based health solutions. FTHub provides the Train-the-Trainer pathway for Nature Ambassadors, equipping youth with tools to influence their communities. |
| Key Objectives | Empower young people aged 16–30 to become leaders in environmental sustainability, mental health support, and community development through nature-based training. Build a global network of youth leaders driving environmental sustainability and social change in local communities. Foster social entrepreneurship through grassroots, nature-based initiatives that contribute to ecological sustainability and community resilience. |
| Partner Institutions | Forest Therapy Hub (Portugal) · Resilience.Earth (Spain) |
| Countries | Spain and Portugal |
| Link | + INFO |
NAT-CARE
Creating Europe’s Pathways for Nature Prescription
Erasmus+ | 2025–2026
| Project Name | NAT-CARE | Creating Europe’s Pathways for Nature Prescription |
| Funding Program | Erasmus+ |
| Duration | 2025 – 2026 (1 year) |
| Total Budget | EUR 60,000 |
| Status | Completed |
| FTHub’s Role | Research contributor and training partner. FTHub is developing training for healthcare professionals on nature prescription and contributing to the definition of methodological criteria for integrating nature-based interventions into health and social care systems. |
| Key Objectives | Develop training programs for healthcare professionals on nature prescription. Define methodological criteria for health and social care systems to integrate nature-based approaches. Create Europe-wide pathways for nature prescription that can be adopted by public health institutions. |
| Partner Institutions | Forest Therapy Hub (Portugal) · University of Burgos (Spain) |
| Countries | Spain and Portugal |
| Link | + INFO |
World Economic Forum’s UpLink Challenge
Winner as Top Innovator
| Project Name | World Economic Forum’s UpLink Challenge | Winner as Top Innovator |
| Program | WEF UpLink Innovation Network — Forest and Health Challenge |
| Year | 2023 |
| Funding | Up to USD 150,000 |
| Status | Completed |
| FTHub’s Role | Winner. FTHub was selected as Top Innovator in the World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact program for the Forest and Health Challenge. |
| Key Objectives | Develop the mobile app “One Health: Connecting with Nature” to promote nature connection, community interaction, and One Health principles. The challenge called for innovative solutions emphasizing the interdependence between forests and human health and well-being. |
| Links | + INFO | + INFO |
Green Prescription
Nature-Based Interventions for People with Mental Health Disorders
Regional program (Spain) | 2018
| Project Name | Green Prescription | Nature-Based Interventions for People with Mental Health Disorders |
| Program | Regional program (Basque Country, Spain & Catalonia, Spain) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Status | Completed |
| FTHub’s Role | Lead implementer. FTHub designed and delivered Forest Bathing interventions in the Basque Country as a therapeutic practice, and led the “Prescription of Nature” project in Sant Pere de Ribes (Catalonia), which was selected for the EUROPARC 2020 Yearbook as one of the “inspiring experiences in protected areas.” |
| Key Objectives | Implement Forest Bathing as a nature-based intervention for people with mental health disorders. Measure and analyze the beneficial effects on physical health and quality of life. Establish a model for integrating nature-based interventions into municipal health plans as part of the “Healthy Municipality” framework. |
| Recognition | EUROPARC 2020 Yearbook — “Inspiring Experiences in Protected Areas” (supported by the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Biodiversity Foundation) |
| Locations | Basque Country (Spain) · Sant Pere de Ribes, Garraf Natural Park, Catalonia (Spain) |
| Link | + INFO |
CONTRIBUTION AREAS
Our role in EU consortia
In each project, the FTI Lab contributes one or more of the following core areas. These reflect FTI Lab’s dual identity as both a research institution and a practitioner network, capable of generating evidence, building professional capacity, communicating findings at scale, and managing complex multi-partner initiatives.
Contribution Area
What We Bring
Active in These Projects
Research &
Evidence
Study design, data collection frameworks, field research with practitioner networks, and publications.
NATURELAB, PHorestAll, Back to Nature
Capacity
Building
Training program design and delivery, competency frameworks, blended learning methodologies.
NATURELAB, Back to Nature, NASC, NAT-CARE, RECALL
Dissemination &
Communication
7-language channels, 60,000+ reach, content creation, stakeholder engagement, multiplier events.
GreenTouch, NASC, Back to Nature, RECALL
Project
Management
Work package leadership, quality assurance, monitoring and reporting, and partner coordination.
NATURELAB (WP2), PHorestAll, NASC, NAT-CARE, RECALL
Collectively, the FTI Lab is active across more than EUR 14 million in funded research, spanning Horizon Europe, Biodiversa+, Erasmus+, and Interreg, with project durations running to 2029.
Contribute to our Research
FTHub-certified guides and practitioners and Hub Seedlings Pro members can apply to participate in FTI Lab research projects and fieldwork. If you are a practicing guide or therapist and want to contribute to the evidence base, the Hub Seedlings Global Network is your point of entry.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What EU-funded projects has the FTI Lab been involved in?
The FTI Lab has contributed to projects under Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, and Biodiversa+ Partnership since 2022. These include initiatives in Forest Therapy research, nature-based social prescribing, nature-based interventions, therapeutic landscape assessment, and citizen science. Specific project names, partners, and objectives are listed on this page. FTI Lab’s roles include research design, capacity building, dissemination, and project management.
Can FTHub practitioners participate in research projects?
Yes. FTHub-certified Forest Bathing Guides and Forest Therapy Practitioners, as well as Hub Seedlings Pro members, are eligible to apply for participation in the FTI Lab research projects and fieldwork. Practitioners contribute field data, case observations, and practice insights as part of FTI Lab’s participatory research model. Research opportunities are communicated through the Hub Seedlings Pro quarterly briefings.
Partner with us on your next project
Looking for an experienced partner for an EU-funded proposal or an institutional project in nature-based health? The FTI Lab is open to consortium partnerships, consultancy engagements, and research collaborations.
