Tree-Assisted Therapy: Therapeutic and Societal Benefits from Purpose-Specific Technical Recreational Tree-Climbing Programs    (View PDF)

John Gathright, Yozo Yamada, and Miyako Morita

Abstract: This article explains how program design can increase the therapeutic and societal benefits from programs focused on technical recreational tree-climbing. We compare a recreational program with a tree-assisted therapy program that includes purpose-specific therapeutic, educational, and motivation elements. We find that the additional elements included in the tree-assisted therapy program were effective in enhancing the benefits from the tree-climbing activity.

Keywords: Community forests; environmental psychology; mood states; outdoor recreation; societal benefits; tree-assisted therapy; tree-climbing; urban forests

https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2008.030