Bad Orb continues to strengthen its profile as a medical and health destination: On May 29 and May 30, the world’s leading experts in forest therapy gathered in the spa district of Orb for a symposium as part of the CURA SILVA DAYS.

The world’s leading expert on forest bathing, Prof. Dr. Qing Li of Tokyo, engaged in a discussion with other leading figures in the field – including Nobel laureate and ornithologist Prof. Piotr Tryjanowski, Canadian physician and leading forest scientist Dr. Melissa Lem, and Dr. Gisela Immich. The symposium’s objectives were to foster networking among the national and international scientific community in the field of forest therapy and to promote cutting-edge research and scientific discourse.

Bad Orb is reinventing the spa experience and, in recent years, has established itself as a national pioneer in innovative concepts for the future of spa medicine. The comprehensive forest therapy concept CURA SILVA, featuring a therapeutic forest, is an integral part of the local initiative. “Bad Orb has the natural potential to bring together forests, water, and science. Mineral springs, the Spessart region, and spa culture are our heritage and our future. People far and wide should think of Orb when they long for peace and quiet, fresh air, and a dip in the forest and mineral springs. With the symposium and the festival, our town has taken the first step,” says spa visionary Henning Strauss. The long-term goal is to establish an international forest therapy center in Bad Orb.

In addition to the certification of therapeutic forests, CURA SILVA also encompasses cutting-edge research and scientific discourse. The symposium therefore brought together leading scientists specializing in the therapeutic use of forests and the application of nature-based methods for promoting health in Bad Orb. On both days, high-profile, internationally renowned speakers shared their expertise and provided new insights for research and practice.

The city of Bad Orb was able to secure the participation of Prof. Dr. Qing Li from Tokyo for the symposium; he is regarded as the “guru of forest bathing” and a world-leading authority on forest therapy. “The forest is an invaluable resource for our health. I am very pleased that there is a renewed appreciation for forests in Germany. With its ideal location in the heart of Europe and in the middle of one of Germany’s largest forests, Bad Orb can play a leading role as a center for theory and practice,” said Prof. Dr. Qing Li.

Forest bathing and forest therapy are more popular than ever: By engaging the senses in the natural environment of the forest, mindfulness is enhanced and healing is promoted through the power of trees. Trained forest therapists make targeted use of nature’s healing powers to strengthen mental health and alleviate physical ailments through condition-specific outdoor activities in the forest therapy setting. Research findings from Japan and South Korea have shown that regular visits to the forest can boost the production of anti-cancer proteins and improve heart rate variability. Dr. Gisela Immich, an authority in the field of forest therapy and one of the leading figures behind the Bad Orb project, explains: “A healing and therapeutic forest offers a unique opportunity to harness our region’s natural resources for the benefit of people’s health. Studies show that spending time in the forest can lower blood pressure, strengthen the immune system, and boost mental resilience.”

An important step toward certifying therapeutic forests would be an amendment to the State Forest Act that legally safeguards certified therapeutic forests within state-recognized health resorts, as is already the practice in some federal states. In the long term, Bad Orb is also advocating at the state level for the creation of an additional designation, “Forest Health Resort.” This would allow the city to officially strengthen its profile as a health tourism destination by leveraging both brand identities – as a saltwater spa and a forest spa.