Portugal Certifies First Therapeutic Forest on the Iberian Peninsula

Portugal’s Bussaco National Forest has become the first certified therapeutic forest on the Iberian Peninsula. With this recognition, it ranks among only four such forests worldwide, alongside Benediktinerstift in Austria and Lahnstein and Bad Nauheim in Germany.

The certificate was awarded on July 17 by the International Healing Forest Certification Office, following several years of work to implement the project. The assessment highlights the distinctive features of the Portuguese forest, which is located in the parish of Luso, in the municipality of Mealhada.

The president of the Mata do Bussaco Foundation, Gonçalo Breda Marques, told the Lusa news agency that this achievement gives the forest international recognition but also brings significant responsibilities. According to him, the certification places Bussaco among the world’s four therapeutic forests and makes it the first on the Iberian Peninsula.

Mata do Bussaco covers an area of 105 hectares. The foundation of the same name says it is home to one of Europe’s finest dendrological collections, with around 250 species of trees and shrubs.

On the foundation’s official website, the site is described as one of the National Forests with the greatest natural, architectural and cultural wealth. Its territory is divided into four landscape units: the Arboretum, the Gardens and Fern Valley, the Relic Forest and Pinhal do Marquês.

The new status is expected to create added value for both patients and forest therapists, while strengthening the country’s position in health tourism.

But what characteristics make a forest therapeutic? The International Healing Forest Certification Office defines therapeutic forests as woodland areas designed for specific healing purposes. In these spaces, qualified therapists oversee tailored treatments or programs that can help manage disabling illnesses and have a positive impact on conventional therapies.

To ensure these benefits, forests must meet several conditions. These include natural structures that reduce noise and provide protection from wind and visual contact, trails with varying levels of difficulty and physical demands, as well as dedicated areas for therapeutic treatments and relaxation exercises./TAR