- Pilot expansion begins August 29, with multi-session programs for adults, menopausal women, pregnant women, and socially vulnerable groups

The Incheon Grand Park Office of Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it will begin a pilot expansion of forest therapy programs at the newly developed Incheon Healing Forest on August 29. Led by certified forest therapy instructors, the programs are designed to help modern-day citizens relieve stress and restore their physical and mental well-being.

Currently under development, Incheon Healing Forest features a variety of therapeutic spaces, including Welcome Area, Breath of Air Area, Ari Rest Area, Hammock Rest Area, Mind Rest Area, Shade Area, Wind Meditation Area, Sound Meditation Area, and Breeze Area, as well as an indoor healing space called Eoulchae. The forest also features interconnected trails, including the Ieum Meditation Trail, Sound and Scent Trail, Barrier-Free Pulrim Trail, and Maru Pulrim Trail, designed to allow citizens to relax peacefully in nature.

During the pilot expansion, the city will offer more customized multi-session programs tailored to different groups to maximize the benefits of forest therapy. Programs will include “Forest of Mind and Scent” (four sessions) for adults; “Forest in Bloom Again” (eight sessions) to promote psychological stability and alleviate depression among menopausal women; “Forest Face to Face” (four sessions), a forest-based prenatal program for pregnant women and their unborn babies; and “Forest of Strength Within” (four sessions) for socially vulnerable groups. All programs will be led by forest therapy instructors certified by the Korea Forest Service.

The city will also operate “Forest of Resonant Sounds,” where participants can experience singing bowl meditation. These programs will run alongside existing offerings, including “Forest for Everyone” for adults, “Forest Guardian” for groups, and “Gather in the Forest” for families, allowing people from a wide range of backgrounds to experience forest therapy. By combining indoor and outdoor healing spaces with customized forest therapy programs, the city expects to provide citizens with specialized forest welfare services and establish Incheon Healing Forest as a leading forest therapy destination in the Seoul metropolitan area.

The expanded pilot operation will run from August 29 to November 21, from Tuesday to Saturday, excluding Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays. Two sessions will be offered each day, in the morning and afternoon, with up to three groups of 15 participants per session. Anyone can participate free of charge, and both individuals and groups may apply. However, eligibility and participant limits vary by program and must be confirmed in advance.

Applications can be submitted through the Incheon Parks website and the Incheon Metropolitan City Online Integrated Reservation System. For multi-session programs in particular, participation will be confirmed following a telephone consultation with a forest therapy instructor after the application is submitted.

Incheon Grand Park has operated forest therapy programs since 2017 and began pilot programs at the newly developed Incheon Healing Forest on April 21 this year.

Lim Sang-gyun, head of the Incheon Grand Park Office, said, “I hope the newly developed Incheon Healing Forest will become a place of comfort and rest for citizens exhausted by their busy daily lives and the pressures of competition,” adding, “We will continue to expand customized forest therapy programs for different groups and develop the forest into a hub for forest therapy that contributes to citizens’ health and quality of life.”