INFTA led a research group in Australia conducting an important clinical study. The aim of this project – funded with a grant by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Region in Victoria – was to bring down stress levels of international students to improve their mental and physical health.

Some 350 international students registered for one of 12 Forest Therapy sessions carried out between August and October 2024 at the centrally-located Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne. The satisfaction level of students with Forest Therapy was overwhelming: an impressive 96.0 percent. More so the tension of international students dropped by more than 40%, their fatigue by more than 30% and their vigor increased by more than 20% after the standardized two-hour Forest Therapy session. As a result, Forest Therapy was recommended as a regular, evidence-based, effective and affordable intervention to alleviate stress and anxiety among (international) students.