At the head of the crowd of guests, Provincial Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the "Spa and Healing Forest" in Senftenberg on July 1, 2020. The market town of Senftenberg and the Nuhr Medical Center are jointly creating a publicly accessible forest park for locals, patients of the Medical Center and tourists on an area of around 6,500 square meters.
The goal of the project is to use the forest habitat and its ecosystem as a health-promoting and healing experiential space. At various therapy stations, patients have the opportunity to enjoy the forest and discover its healing effects for themselves, thereby reducing stress. This project is accompanied scientifically by the IMC Krems, was nevertheless Dr. h.c.. Mag. Heinz Boyer was one of the initiators of this project. In her remarks, Provincial Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner pointed out the importance of cooperation between entrepreneurs and municipalities. "This project shows what good interaction between the municipality and a company opens up for a region in terms of opportunities," said Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner. "Living together on a regional level, with the support of the state of Lower Austria, is a guarantee for the successful development of a region."
The municipality of Senftenberg has received an award for the "Health Forest and Therapy Forest" in the Lower Austrian Village and Urban Renewal Ideas Competition organized by NÖ.Regional. The managing director of NÖ.Regional, Christine Lechner, is pleased with the start of the implementation of this project. "It is nice to see when a project, which was accompanied by the NÖ.Regional in the development, is put into practice" says Lechner.
The goal of the project "healing forest" is a complementary way to restore, maintain and promote the mental, spiritual and physical health of the individual. The municipality Senftenberg would like to tie thereby to the existing offer of the Nuhr Medical center and for inhabitants of the municipality and the closer environment as well as naturally also for guests of the Nuhr Medical center an Austria far singular increase in value for the promotion of the health offer.
Through the connection to the long-distance hiking trail Kremstal-Donau and the local hiking network, local tourism should also be strengthened.
In close cooperation with the market town of Senftenberg, Univ.-Doz. Dr. Martin Nuhr from the Nuhr Medical Center and the IMC Krems, an implementation concept for the healing forest was developed. The healing forest in Senftenberg is to be the first of its kind in Austria to be certified according to the same criteria that were used to classify Europe's first spa and healing forest, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The forest is the namesake and essential identification feature of the Waldviertel and is therefore not only one of the most characteristic elements, but also one of the most important resources. The project aims to integrate therapeutic measures into this important ecosystem and to achieve certification as the first Austrian healing forest. This should create a showcase project in the Senftenberg region, which lies at the intersection of population, health and research and should also strengthen the region as a tourist area. The execution will be awarded to regional companies throughout.
The project area is located on a southern slope in Senftenberg and has been used for forestry for decades, as have the adjacent, extensive areas to the north and east. The sun-exposed slope adjacent to the west still shows the terracing of the former wine cultivation. Both the wine terraces and the large wooded areas are typical of the region and represent essential elements of the project. The orchard planted in the vicinity of the former wine cellar will also become part of the therapeutic forest. The open wine terraces will be integrated only marginally (viewpoint over the Krems Valley). The interventions necessary for the project implementation will be reduced to a minimum and will be carried out mostly by hand and in a way that is gentle to the forest (soil).
In the existing forest area, different trails with different levels of difficulty will be built. In addition, different stations will be built, which will enable a longer stay in the forest and thus strengthen the positive effect of the forest on body and psyche. The following areas will therefore be implemented: Main path, stepped path, resting place, power place, viewing platform and orchard.
Forest therapy is a research-based method within the framework of the new nature therapies, which aims to use the living and ecosystem forest guided and accompanied by professionally trained experts (forest therapists, forest health advisors) as a health-promoting and healing experiential space. During a stay in the forest, the human being should be addressed with all his senses. The forest climate is characterized by numerous health-promoting elements, such as clean air, high humidity, low air temperature and special light conditions. This climate leads to relief of the respiratory system, improvement of mood and therefore has a proven positive effect on the psyche and physical performance.
The manifold salutogenic influences that the forest and the forest experience offer to the human being as a whole in its physical, emotional, cognitive and social dimensions should strengthen health. Forest therapy is used for people of all ages, in the most diverse life situations, but also as a healing treatment for various clinical pictures such as psychological and psychosomatic disorders.
Another essential aspect especially for people in rehabilitation, e.g. after accidents or orthopedic surgery or people with chronic pain, are often accompanied by diseases such as depression or anxiety disorder but also patients with late sequelae of neurological diseases benefit in the context of their therapy from forest therapy. But not only for adults, but also for children and adolescents in difficult situations or with behavioral problems, forest therapy can be supportive in coping and serve an educational purpose.
The certification of the healing forest (healing forest is called the highest level of a therapeutic forest).
Establishment of a complementary possibility to restore, maintain and promote the mental, spiritual and physical health of the individual.
Strong contribution to the positioning of Lower Austria as a medical/therapeutic showcase country.
Increase of the health tourism of the region, in the Waldviertel and in Lower Austria.
In cooperation with the IMC Krems the training to become a forest therapist is planned.
Expansion of the medical/therapeutic cooperations with the province of Lower Austria, universities, preventive care institutions, health centers and many more.
The project area is located in a forest area, which will be preserved as such. The necessary paths will not be sealed, since the forest floor with its natural unevenness is part of the therapy approach (among other things, training of sensorimotor skills). Additional furniture (benches, small balancing devices, etc.) will be made of local materials (wood, stone).
The facility will be integrated as an essential component in individual therapy concepts. The various areas will provide information on the subject of health and motivate people to engage in active physical activity regardless of their age.
The experience of outdoor exercise and its positive effects should continue to have an effect beyond the duration of the stay and thus encourage people "at home" to engage in more exercise or to visit the therapy forest again.
The area will be open to the public (no fenced-in forest), although the individual target groups should not be disturbed by the routes being taken. The overall facility should in no way degenerate into a "closed facility" without frequency.
An incentive to exercise outdoors should be created through appropriate design of the "therapy opportunities". Close cooperation with schools and clubs is also planned.
The forest will remain as natural and unchanged as possible despite the construction measures. The path system and the stations will be defined according to the terrain and vegetation and will be built in a way that is gentle on the forest.
The future healing forest will be open to all visitors from April to October. This offers the municipality the unique opportunity to expand the health and leisure offer in the region.
