Congress 2019: first confirmed speakers / early bird discount extendend until 31 de Juliol.

We inform you that registrations for the III International Congress on Forest and its Potential for Health, which we’ll hold between October 7 and October 10 in Girona and la Garrotxa, continue open. The event is organized by Sèlvans Association, the Network for the Conservation of Nature, and the Cultural and Natural Campus of the University of Girona.

Following multiple petitions, we have extended the early bird discount until 31 of July. If you work at an ONG related to the subject, the discount is valid till we close regsitrations.

Reconnecting with nature through health and wellbeing

The congress aims to update and advance applied research and best-practice implementation regarding the potential of forests to provide human societies with health and wellbeing. It oers a meeting platform for knowledge and experience sharing between professionals, organizations and entrepreneurs from all around the world working on forest therapy, or interested in its development.

In this regard, we have the honor of having the following confirmed speakers and institutions:

• Dr. Martí Boada, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA-UAB). Scientific adviser to UNESCO, and president of honor of the Technical and Scientific Commission of the congress (Catalonia-Spain)
• Dr. Hiroko Ochiai, National Tokyo Medical Center, in representation of the “International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine – INFOM” (Japan)
• Dr. Won Sop Shin, professor of social forestry at the Chungbuk National University (South Korea)
• Dr. Horst Klinkmann, senior consultant and ambassador of health economy of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Germany)
• Ms. Susan V. Joachim and Dr. Dieter Kotte, respectively president and secretary/international strategic advisor of the “International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance – INFTA)” (Australia).
• Mr. Amos Clifford, founder of the ’“Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs – ANFT” (USA).

One of the main objectives of the congress is to set the founding stones for an international cooperation framework that works towards the harmonisation of applied quality and certication standards, learning from existing therapeutical forest networks and initiatives around the globe.

The event will end with a proclamation on the need to preserve natural forests as suppliers of health and wellbeing for societies.

Intended audience

Individuals and organizations interested in improving their knowledge and capacity to conserve and value nature in general, and high-ecological-value forests in particular; those developing their activities in natural forested areas; public and private forest owners; professionals, decision-makers, technicians and researchers working on health, wellbeing, the environment, and forestry; postgraduate and master’s degrees students, and doctoral candidates in these fields.

The official languages of the congress will be Catalan, Spanish and English.

The Congress counts with the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia), the Girona Provincial Council, the Barcelona Provincial Council, and the “la Caixa” Foundation. Also, with the collaboration of the La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, Garrotxa Tourism, the Costa-Brava and Girona Tourism Board, and the City council of Girona.

Looking forward to greet you at the congress!

You can registre in this link.

If you know of any person, institution or company that could be interested in the Congress, in terms of participation, help with diffusion, or sponsorship, please do not hesitate to forward the present information, or ask her/him to write us at info@selvans.ong.

Organized by

With the support of: