Frequent visits to the forests can help evade stress, improve moods, reduce anger and aggressiveness and increase overall happiness.
They also have a positive impact on the immune system
by multiplying the number and the activity of the natural killer cells that destroy cancer cells.
"Many people feel relaxed and good when they are out in nature. But not many of us know that there is also scientific evidence about the healing effects of nature," said Dr. Eeva Karjalainen, of the Finnish Forest Research Institute, Metla.
No monetary cost involved
There is almost no monetary cost involved in the reduction of stress and boosting one’s productivity through trees and green areas, unlike any other treatment or therapy.
Therefore trees are a great source of reducing health care expenditure and promoting well-being and healing.
"Preserving green areas and trees in cities is very important to help people recover from stress, maintain health and cure diseases. There is also monetary value in improving people's working ability and reducing health care costs." Eeva says.
Healing better in natural sites
Earlier studies have shown that people heal better and much quicker in stressful situations if they spend some of their time in natural environments.
Post stressful or concentration-demanding situations, people have been found to recover faster and better in natural environments than in urban settings, researchers claim.
Natural sites can help lower several factors like blood pressure, the heart rate, the level of stress hormones and muscle tension.
Depression, anger, aggressiveness and ADHD symptoms in children reduce when they play in green settings rather than on streets and high tension places.
Besides numerous health advantages promoted by forests, they are also the key source of various most prescribed drugs.
For example, Taxol is a drug used against ovarian and breast cancer which is derived from yew trees and Xylitol, a sugar replacement produced from hardwood bark that helps inhibit caries.
The IUFRO World Congress meet is held every 5 years to discuss important areas of forest research, policy and management.
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