A walk among the trees will bring a feeling of calmness and peace.

The Japanese and the Koreans, with their technological advancements and forward-thinking views on life, have subscribed to the notion that a walk in the forest would lead to discovering a sense of calmness, balance and good health. They believe that being in the forests would help people to recover, relax and revive.

The Japanese has developed the practice of ‘shinrin-yoku’ or ‘forest bathing’ since the 1980s. The practice of ‘taking in the forest atmosphere/forest bathing’ has, since then, become an essential aspect of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine.

Simply, it entails someone who visits areas in nature, and walking in a relaxed manner, which could result in having calming, rejuvenating and restorative effects experienced by the individual. Scientific references in relation to this practice can be found aplenty, and which are now used as guidelines in establishing ‘shinrin-yoku’ and forest therapy in different parts of the world.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has been known as the ‘university in a garden’ and has always promoted the idea of greening the university with plants and trees of all types. From the moment one enters the gates of the university, there will be trees all around to evoke the idea of walking in a ‘garden’ and being amidst nature. It is also the central idea in USM becoming the sole APEX-status university in the country, and in pushing ahead the move towards ‘transforming higher education for a sustainable tomorrow.’

Many would be aware now of the benefits that trees would bring, from the scientific aspects in life to the arts, philosophy and even spirituality. Here would be some of them:

1.      Trees and the environment: The air we breathe would remain fresh as trees absorb harmful chemicals and the temperature that we feel is better regulated regardless of being in cooler or warmer climates. Where water is concerned, trees not only absorb water and prevent flooding, but also help to disperse rainfall over a more even surface area. Leaves on the ground, keep moisture close to the ground aiding growth and traps chemicals keeping them out of lakes and rivers. Trees overall reduce the effects of global warming.

2.      Trees and the wildlife: Having trees would also attract other wildlife, such as the birds and the bees, making the environment become livelier and living spaces more pleasant.

3.      Trees provide sustenance: Trees provide fruits of various types to be enjoyed for their tastes as well as for health. Trees and plants too are sought for their curative properties, such as using gingko seeds in treating asthma and its leaf for Alzheimer’s and depression. The use of herbs has recently become more popular, as more people are opting for natural cures rather than those produced chemically.

4.      Trees in the arts, culture and philosophy: In many parts of the world, trees have been represented in the works from many different cultures. Christianity mentioned the apple tree in the Garden of Eden. Cedars were stated as the dwelling place of the Gods in the Old Babylonian epic, Gilgamesh. The more familiar J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and the long-time English fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk both have trees which are essential to the storyline. Buddha was reported to have been enlightened in the presence of a Bodhi tree and in Islamic traditions there is a tree which has existed since the time of Prophet Muhammad up until now. Philosophically, trees have been the connection linking man and the heavens, as they are firmly rooted to the ground and yet able to reach high up into the sky. The trees can be comforting and inspiring, imposing and intimidating all at once.

It would be difficult to imagine a world without trees, considering their values and effects that they have on mankind and the planet. From maintaining the balance in the ecosystem, to providing mankind with different resources and inputs in the various facets of man’s livelihood, trees undoubtedly remain essential to the planet and its inhabitants. Let us collectively ensure that the trees would be maintained and well-cared for as much as we possibly can.

Text: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin