Remote Forest Therapy

Colm, Jenna, Mia

Our Mission & Approach

This project investigates the impact of Remote Forest Therapy (RFT) on college students’ well-being. In collaboration with certified nature therapy guides and student researchers, we designed and launched virtual nature immersion sessions, reaching students who may not otherwise engage with nature due to time, mobility, or access barriers.

Goals:

Recruit 90–120 William & Mary students via the SONA system.
Facilitate and evaluate the effectiveness of 10+ RFT sessions.
Analyze data to identify changes in stress, restoration, and nature connection.
Showcase findings to the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and the wider ecotherapy research community.

Colm Dodd

Jenna Ajello

Mia Parrott

Team Introductions & Roles

Student Researchers

Colm Dodd: Roles as Research Assistant: Advertising and recruitment for SONA study. On-site leading of trials and assisting participants in their trial and surveys

Relevant skills: Experience with SONA system, conducting research, and Canva graphics

Experience: Healthy Beginnings Lab research assistant 2022, 2024, 2025, Nature-based camp counselor, infographic lead for Family Resource Center in Martinsville, VA, IRB certified

Jenna Ajello: Roles Research Lead: Assist project team in conducting and collecting accurate data. Communicate with team members to effectively achieve our goals

Relevant skill: Communication, management, and laboratory skill

Experience: Three semesters of Laboratory experience, management experience at Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Master Naturalist Certification, IRB certified

Mia Parrott: Roles as Research Assistant: Creation of trial documents and procedures. Communication with stakeholders

Relevant skills: project management, research and data analysis, marketing and communications, event and participant management

Experience: Project lead for Campus Tranquility Initiative for PERL Spring 2024, Assistant Director for PERL, Project Integration Manager and previously USA EcoAction Tour Creator for GoGreenLocally, Business Development and Marketing Assistant for the W&M Alumni Association

Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) Certified Guides

Tamberly Conway: PhD, Founder & CEO Conservation Conexions

Giovanna Raineri Blanco: Certified coach and the founder of UpGrade Experience, with 20+ years in leadership, team building, and nature-based experiences across Chile

Manuela Siegfried: First certified ANFT forest therapy guide in Costa Rica; international trainer and mentor

Tamberly Conway

Giovanna Raineri Blanco

Manuela Siegfried

Why It Matters

Many college students today feel overwhelmed, burnt out, and disconnected from themselves, from others, and from the natural world. While nature is known to support mental health, traditional outdoor therapy programs can be expensive, time-consuming, or simply out of reach for those juggling busy lives.

Remote Forest Therapy explores a new approach by making nature-based wellness practices more accessible, affordable, and adaptable through guided, virtual sessions. This work isn’t about convincing people that nature is good for them, it’s about reimagining how people can access those benefits, regardless of their background, schedule, or experience outdoors.

Grounded In Research

Such practices are backed by decades of evidence that time in nature improves mental and emotional health.

Kaplan & Kaplan – Attention Restoration Theory

Shows how natural environments help restore attention and ease mental fatigue.

Rakow & Eells – Nature Rx for Campus Mental Health

Highlights the value of integrating nature-based wellness into student life.

Conway et al. – Remote Forest Therapy Post-COVID

Identifies how virtual nature experiences emerged as meaningful alternatives when in-person access was limited.

Hartig et al. – Nature and Health Review

Synthesizes global findings on nature’s impact on mental and physical well-being.

These works guide our project’s design and purpose to determine if remote nature experiences can provide real, measurable benefits and if they can be a tool for improving access to ecotherapy.

The Frameworks Guiding Our Work

Attention Restoration Theory: This theory suggests that natural environments gently pull our attention without overwhelming us. It’s that mental "exhale" you feel when you step outside and everything slows down. RFT taps into this by guiding students through quiet, reflective experiences, even through a screen.

Biophilia Hypothesis: Biophilia is the idea that we’re wired to connect with nature. It’s not just a preference, it’s an innate part of being human. Even in digital or remote settings, nature imagery, sounds, and prompts can activate that connection and bring comfort.

Place Attachment Theory: This theory explores how emotional bonds to places develop. Through repeated, mindful engagement with nature, participants may begin to feel more grounded and supported by their environment. This works especially well in familiar and comforting campus nature spaces.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: RFT integrates mindfulness techniques like breathing exercises into natural settings. This combo helps quiet the mind and brings people into the present moment, which research shows reduces stress and anxiety.

Between Forest & Findings

Each participant takes part in a live, guided Remote Forest Therapy session held in the wooded area surrounding the Keck Environmental Lab. This quiet, tree-lined setting offers a space for reflection, presence, and nature connection.

Sessions are conducted via Zoom and led by Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) certified guides. Participants are invited to engage in a series of nature-based prompts and mindfulness practices, all designed to help them slow down and tune into their surroundings.

Before and after each session, participants complete a set of surveys that help us understand the emotional and psychological impact of the experience.

What We Measure:

Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS): Measures changes in emotional fatigue, attention, and stress.
Nature Relatedness Scale (NR-6): Captures emotional, cognitive, and physical connection to nature.
Abbreviated Place-Attachment Scale (APAS): Assesses feelings of belonging and reliance on the space around them.

This structure allows us to gather real data about nature’s potential to support mental well-being, even when accessed in new ways.

What We Have Created & What Comes Next

Completed Thus Far

Participant Recruitment Materials: We designed and distributed flyers and digital graphics to promote the study. These were placed in high-traffic academic buildings and student spaces to reach a broad and diverse audience.

Live Session Implementation: We facilitated guided Remote Forest Therapy sessions in the forest surrounding the Keck Environmental Lab, successfully hosting participants and collecting both pre- and post-session survey data.

Data Collection: Using trusted tools like the ROS, NR-6, and APAS scales, we gathered participants’ self-reported psychological and emotional states before and after their sessions. This included data on stress, emotional restoration, nature connectedness, and place attachment.

In Progress

We have begun analyzing survey responses from our first rounds of participants, comparing pre- and post-session data to evaluate shifts in emotional wellbeing, sensitivity, and self-awareness, as well as connection to nature.

Visual data displays help to showcase the early trends we have seen thus far.

The Data

Emotional Well-Being

Participants reported a strong increase in feeling restored and relaxed, along with a significant decrease in feelings of stress and anxiety after the Remote Forest Therapy session.

Greenspace Attachment

Attachment to the Keck Environmental Lab greenspace increased notably, with participants more strongly identifying the area as very special, the best natural space on campus, and feeling that no other greenspace compares.

Nature Connectedness

Participants showed a stronger emotional connection to nature after the session, with more reporting that they feel connected to all living things and that their relationship with nature is an important part of who they are.

Succession & Sustainability

To ensure the success and growth of this project beyond our current team, we have developed a set of recommendations and resources for future student researchers to continue running and expanding the Remote Forest Therapy trials until meeting the goal of 90 participants.

Next Steps for Future Teams

Expand Outreach and Recruitment: One of the biggest barriers for more successful trial runs has been recruitment. Future students should prioritize creative and persistent marketing throughout the semester. These should include flyers and digital outreach, all while maintaining the integrity of the study by keeping session details intentionally vague to avoid biased recruitment.

Use Shared Scheduling Tools: Coordinating with the guides is essential. We recommend using a shared Google Calendar and/or Sheet to clearly outline session dates, trial leads, and backup options for rain/inclement weather.

Define Clear Team Roles: Running Remote Forest Therapy trials requires a wide range of skills. Future teams should assign clear responsibilities early on and revisit them regularly to prevent overlap or burnout.

Document Everything: We have compiled templates, contact lists, recruitment materials, and data collection instructions that are saved in the PERL shared drive. These should be maintained, updated, and passed on as the project continues.

Reflection

What Worked Well: One of the biggest strengths of the Remote Forest Therapy trials was the reliability and professionalism of the guides, who consistently showed up ready to facilitate meaningful sessions. Our thorough scripts and trial materials also helped ensure smooth facilitation and consistency across all sessions.

What We Struggled With: We faced recurring weather delays, scheduling conflicts, and moments of miscommunication within the team. Like any live study involving multiple people and moving parts, small issues sometimes created larger disruptions. By mid-semester, we also encountered researcher fatigue, especially as we balanced the trials with other academic and personal responsibilities. Due to these issues we faced, we recommend future teams revisit allocated responsibilities regularly.

What We Learned: If we could do it again, we would prioritize shared communication systems from the beginning and build out a finalized session schedule, with weather contingency plans, months in advance. Having these frameworks early on would reduce stress, improve internal coordination, and make it easier to adapt when unexpected challenges arise.

Ultimately, this project taught us how to balance structure and flexibility, and how to bring intention not only to the participant experience, but also to the process of working as a team.

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