OneRedmond has announced that Redmond is now home to Washington's first and only Association of Nature and Forest Therapy-certified forest-therapy trails, offering residents and visitors in an official capacity a new way to experience the forest through guided forest therapy and self-guided āforest bathing.ā
The ANFT-certified Treefrog Loop at Redmond Watershed Preserve (which is ADA accessible) and the Lowland to Upland Loop at Farrel-McWhitter Park are part of the city's network of urban parks and natural spaces.
ANFT provides forest-therapy certification and guide training. ANFT-certified forest-therapy trails are intentionally designed to encourage visitors to move at an unhurried pace, fully engage their senses, and experience the landscape more mindfully, according to a press release.
Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or āforest bathing,ā forest therapy is a research-based practice linked to benefits such as reduced stress, improved mood, and greater calm. Unlike traditional hiking, the experience is not focused on mileage, elevation gain, or reaching a particular destination. Instead, participants are encouraged to notice the forestās sights, sounds, textures, and scents.
āThese certified trails give residents a new way to enjoy places they already know, while giving visitors another meaningful way to explore Redmond beyond the traditional activities,ā said Kristina Hudson, CEO of OneRedmond, in the release. āThey show how you don't need to leave the city to find a place to pause, spend time in nature, and experience Redmond from a different perspective.ā