Shinrin Yoku: reconnecting with our roots
Nature is part of us: thanks to it we can reconnect and have a different — broader — vision of our purpose on Earth.
Understanding that we are just one more species in the cycle of life is fundamental to respecting the planet’s ecosystems, especially forests.
Forests cover almost 1/3 of the Earth globally, equivalent to 4060 million hectares. For comparison, there are about 0.52 hectares of forest for every person on the planet. It is a fascinating and lively expanse, worthy of respect and admiration.
Every natural element in the forests — every tree, every mushroom, every lichen — serves an incredibly complex function that helps maintain the delicate balance of the forests and makes the difference between a healthy ecosystem and a weak one.
One of the most enriching ways to learn to recognize, respect, and understand the magic of forests is by experiencing it in real life. Taking an intentional yet spontaneous walk through forest areas, also called shinrin yoku (Japanese term meaning “forest bath”), not only helps us psychologically and physically; we also become aware of the healing power of nature and understand that we are just another species on Earth.
Therefore, being aware of how we move in such an environment helps us understand and avoid leaving footprints in the forest.
We had the pleasure of talking with our Sustainability Specialist, Léna Plaud, who shared with us 3 tips for walking in the forests reducing our ecological footprint, in order to enjoy shinrin yoku at its best:
3 tips for walking through the forest reducing your ecological footprint
Although we go through the world leaving footprints whether we want to or not, some are more noticeable than others. Here are 3 tips to reduce our footprint while walking through the forest or taking a forest bath:
1. Follow the marked trails to preserve the environment
We are never the only ones to visit a place, so an action replicated by thousands of people can have noticeable consequences. For this we recommend you not to leave the marked trails and paths, which are implemented to protect natural and cultural landmarks.
2. Always carry your waste with you. Don’t throw anything away!
This seems obvious, but we can almost guarantee that every time you’ve gone to an urban forest area you’ve seen plastic, metal or cardboard littering the landscape (look out for it next time you’re out for a walk and see!).
It is always best to bring your own reusable/biodegradable bags and carry them with you until you find a trash can, so you don’t litter the landscape accidentally.
3. Respect the advice and rules of the park rangers
There are species that are sensitive to noise or have very particular habits. Therefore, you should avoid listening to loud music and feeding wild animals in forest areas.
Think that deliberate or unintentional acts against the rules can have devastating consequences. (For example, the case of the tourist who burned toilet paper in Chilean Patagonia, causing a forest fire that killed more than 17,000 hectares of forest in Torres del Paine National Park between 2011–2012).
Park rangers and guides are the ones who know the tourist trails best and work daily to take care of these essential places for life. That’s why our Sustainability & Partnership Specialist recommends reading and listening to park rangers’ advice before and during any visit!
At Lemu we want to encourage healthy shinrin yoku, conscious walks that are the least invasive to the environment, so we invite you to follow these tips the next time you go for a walk in forest areas.
Finally, if you are interested in learning what we are doing to help preserve and restore the world’s forests through technology, we invite you to sign up for early access to our app at le.mu
See you in the forest!
