Nathalie Moriarty reviews Into the Forest by Dr. Qing Li (Penguin, 2019

Into the Forest: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness

(Li, Qing; Penguin, 201 9) Reviewer: Nathalie Moriarty

Whether you simply want an introduction, or already believe that nature connection has been a part of the human story since the beginning of our species, this book is for you. Into the Forest delves into the benefits of spending time in a forest environment, particularly through the practice of forest bathing; Shinrin-Yoku in Japanese. The book describes the emerging science of forest medicine— the study of the health benefits of trees. The progressive research carried out by its author is clearly explained; from analysing participants’ mood and blood pressure right through to detailed chemical analysis of tree phytonicides and soil microbes and their effect on our health, particularly on the immune system. The author, an immunologist, is one of the founders of the Japanese Society for Forest Medicine, inaugurated as far back as 1982, when Dr. Li began his life-long research into the health benefits of trees. “Our health and the health of the forest go hand in hand,” he writes.

The book adopts a popular science style and easily captures the reader's interest. After a thorough introduction to the background science, Li details the practice of forest bathing and offers practical steps to engage our senses. Meditative and grounding practices are covered, as well as steps we can take to bring the forest indoors and into our lives. Overall, I very much enjoyed this book, particularly for the way it broke down cutting edge science in easy-to-read language, and for the beautiful photography and layout. My only critique would be that the photography is stock footage, rather than original images made with the book in mind.

I find the physical feel of a book important; the cover has a soft, recycled feel and the page thickness makes it easy to handle and leaf through, so it is possible to use it as a reference book. I love having a copy in which I can place labels for those sections I want to reach quickly. As someone who works with people in the outdoors, I found this book had easy-to-use exercises that serve a group setting, such as deep breathing or ‘grounding in’. I rate this book 9/10 and recommend it if you are interested in finding out about forest bathing from its original source. I bought the paperback, priced at just under £10. If you’re as taken with it as I was, then you may also want to read Florence Williams, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative (W.W. Norton, 2019) and Clemens Arvay, The Biophilia Effect: The Healing Bond Between Humans and Nature (Sounds True, 2018).