Reconnecting in Radoboj: How Jasna Vukas Turned a Small Croatian Town into a Global Forest Bathing Story

In today’s fast-paced modern life, we are increasingly returning to nature. One clear sign of this trend is the growing popularity of forest bathing, an activity that positively affects both mental and physical health and serves as an excellent complement to physiotherapy.

More and more people are seeking health in the forest. Just a few kilometers from the Slovenian border crossing at Gruškovje lies Radoboj. This small town in the heart of Croatian Zagorje is emerging as a central Croatian — and increasingly global — destination for health tourism and holistic well-being.

Much of the credit for Radoboj’s growing recognition as a destination for recovery and reconnection with oneself goes to Jasna Vukas, founder and president of the association Forest Power/Snaga šume. Those who have participated in one of the forest bathing sessions say they never look at the forest the same way again.

We interviewed Jasna Vukas to find out more about forest bathing, its health benefits and Radoboj itself.

How did you first enter the world of forest bathing?

Through one of my previous projects I was introduced to the benefits of the ancient Japanese practice Shinrin-yoku, which literally means “to absorb the forest.” In the West, it has been translated as “forest bathing.” Although the practice has spread worldwide since the 1980s, it remained largely unknown in Croatia until I launched the Snaga šume / Forest Power platform together with like-minded individuals. In 2022, we organized the first Croatian Congress on Forest Therapy and Forest Bathing.

In a country that is often slow to accept alternatives, it was challenging to engage both institutions and the broader public. Through a series of workshops and thanks to the strong support of the visionary mayor of the Municipality of Radoboj, Mr. Anđelko Topolovec, we established a foundation for conducting forest bathing on Strahinjčica, where we certified two forest trails suitable for forest bathing. With the support of the Krapina-Zagorje County Tourist Board, the idea is expanding to certify additional trails in the area, with the goal of making Zagorje a unique forest bathing hub in Croatia and developing new outdoor tourism products.

In today’s fast-paced life, we are increasingly returning to nature. What does “absorbing the forest” and the “power of the forest” mean to you — personally, socially, and spiritually?

With the development of innovative technologies and a hectic lifestyle, humans have gradually lost touch with reality. Stress, radiation, and pollution have contributed to the rise of chronic diseases affecting populations worldwide. Returning to nature is nothing new — people have always felt good in it. Even after just a few hours in nature, their mood improves.

People enjoy the forest, often unconsciously, through stimulation of all five senses: the scent of the forest, the green color of plants, the sound of waterfalls and birdsong, and even the taste of forest fruits. Hugging trees is an excellent way to release negative energy from the body. Exposure to aromatic molecules emitted by trees — phytoncides — has multiple positive effects on health and quality of life.

Breathing forest air reduces prefrontal brain activity, lowers blood pressure, and induces relaxation. The activity of NK (natural killer) cells, which fight bacteria, viruses, and cancer, increases. Personally, every time I go forest bathing — even in its shortest form — I regain energy and a good mood. I feel more creative, and every unforgettable image captured in the forest becomes a new source of inspiration.

Groups that gather at our workshops experience new happiness and deeper connections. The positive energy flowing among participants creates lasting bonds. I recall an unforgettable weekend last March: it was raining heavily and cold, yet people refused to shorten or interrupt the session. Every season — sunny, rainy, or even after snowfall — has its own charm and effect.

This “power of the forest” truly empowers people, and they are grateful for it. As an old Austrian doctor once said: The forest is the closest and most affordable pharmacy for humans.

Who participates in your forest bathing sessions? And what would you say to those who have never experienced it?

Most participants come from the business world, but we also receive requests from groups such as educators. Forest bathing is an excellent complement to team-building activities because people return home completely relaxed. Studies show that corporations that regularly send employees to forest bathing sessions see a significant reduction in sick leave and an increase in productivity and creativity.

As mental health challenges among children are increasingly discussed, we initiated a proposal through the Ministry of Science to introduce forest bathing into primary school curricula. International research shows that forest bathing helps students reduce stress and depression during exam periods, and 75% of participants remain loyal to the practice.

Professor Dr. Qing Li, the world’s leading expert in forest medicine and immunology, recommends spending two nights and three days in the forest with multiple forest bathing sessions. The positive effects reset the body for at least three months. We recommend that entire families participate, involving children early in connecting with nature and understanding that the phytoncides released by forests are truly one of humanity’s greatest allies.

How do you ensure professionalism in forest therapy? Who do you collaborate with?

Our association includes three internationally certified guides, a forestry PhD, an aromatherapist, and a nutritionist. We occasionally collaborate with an experienced qi gong instructor whose exercises before forest bathing open the respiratory pathways and enhance concentration. Some sessions have been accompanied by sound baths, which showed indicative effects on nervous system tone.

We work closely with colleagues from Slovenia and maintain a strong international network that gives us access to the latest research. We recently completed an Interreg project with the Municipality of Beltinci. We are currently implementing an Erasmus+ project with the Social Chamber of Slovenia and the IKZ association near Sežana. We also collaborate with Dr. Darija Cvikl from the Higher Vocational School for Hospitality, Wellness and Tourism Bled, who is Secretary General of the International Society of Forest Therapy (ISFT), whose mission is to promote and research forest therapy worldwide.

We have also brought together global experts such as Dr. Melissa Lem from Vancouver, the first family physician to prescribe PaRx — an initiative by the BC Parks Foundation encouraging doctors to prescribe time in nature. The program has since expanded globally, particularly in Canada and Norway.

How do you differ from other nature- or wellness-related initiatives?

We were the first to conduct scientific research on the effects of forest bathing on participants. In cooperation with Polyclinic Dr. Obad from Split, we gathered 30 participants in Radoboj who wore Holter monitors 24 hours a day over one weekend in each season. They even slept with the monitors between two forest bathing sessions. The quarterly results were phenomenal: blood pressure and heart rate were regulated, and nervous system tone improved. Due to the credibility of the results, we are beginning another year of testing.

The entire Radoboj program was developed in response to the growing need for mental health support, especially among people living in fast-paced urban environments. Radoboj has positioned itself as a new destination for health, silence, and sustainable well-being — without mass tourism, but with great impact.

At the request of the Croatian Ministry of Health, we connected our practice with a physician leading our multidisciplinary team in order of the recognition of this holistic approach as medical wellness. The authorized healthcare institution providing medical wellness services is Poliklinika Poliderma d.o.o., marking an important step in connecting health, nature, and sustainable tourism.

Which of your activities or projects are the most important?

Snaga Šume / Forest Power is the only authorized association for certifying forest trails suitable for forest bathing in Croatia. These trails must differ from hiking paths — they should be suitable for all age groups, natural rather than overly landscaped, and allow for slow walking, rest, and meditation.

It is important to distinguish forest bathing as part of medical wellness, currently available only in Radoboj, where there is also a medical office equipped according to healthcare tourism standards.

We found that online courses offered by foreign associations without practical training were insufficient. Therefore, we organized training consisting of nine modules (90 hours), 110 hours of professional practice, and first aid certification.

The development of medical wellness in Radoboj will gain additional potential with the construction of a special glamping site based on the conceptual design of Prof. Dr. Won Sop Shin from Korea, a regular guest at our congresses and at ForestFest, which we are organizing for the third time from June 12–14.

What personally gives you the most energy in what you do?

The older I get, the more I realize that forest bathing is my life’s mission. It takes a long life cycle of work and experience to understand that what you do truly fulfills and makes you happy. It is joy, not work. It is the meaning, not the money.

Seeing changes in people, feeling that they are drawn to my energy, connecting because similar energies attract — we are all just energy. And the forest cleanses our energy and gives it new strength.

Is there anything you would like to say to our readers?

Every destination provides new pleasures, and every forest guide offers a new experience. That Hrvatsko Zagorje is moving in a positive tourism direction is also demonstrated by the new tourism agency Idilira.com, which exclusively promotes the region with its diverse attractions — from thermal spas and sports facilities to family forest bathing experiences and authentic Zagorje gastronomy.

One of our most attractive activities is a team-building program called “Be a Miner for a Day”. Radoboj, once a mining center, is known for its indigenous sulfur deposits, whose excavations led to the discovery of fossils dating back to the Neolithic period.

The town also features the Radboa Museum, the House of the Vine with its famous 14-million-year-old fossilized vine leaves, and the Zagorje Nature Center with a virtual presentation of flora and fauna from that distant era.