Health and social woodland benefits and non-wood forest product opportunities: literature review (summary)

The Welsh Government has committed to create a National Forest across Wales and explore how the National Forest can support the development of a sustainable timber industry. This is outlined in the Programme for Government: update.

The Forestry branch commissioned the Climate and Environment Research Team in the Welsh Government’s Knowledge and Analytical Services to undertake a literature review to explore woodland benefits. This was focused on two research areas:

• economic benefits, opportunities and challenges of profiting from forest products and services
• health and social benefits of being in woodlands and barriers preventing engagement

The aim of this review was to synthesise existing evidence to support policy decisions and highlight research gaps for future study. This could help inform strategies to harness the National Forest’s economic, cultural, and recreational potential.

The literature searches were carried out by the Welsh Government Library Services and the Climate and Environment Research Team between 26 September 2024 and 27 February 2025. The review focused on literature from 2014 to 2024, excluding non-English language sources. Studies preceding 2014 were included where relevant, especially where they explained key concepts or theoretical frameworks. It was agreed with the Forestry branch that the review would focus on non-wood woodland products to complement the well-established evidence on wood products. Therefore, broader search terms such as ‘woodland-based products’ were used. Through scoping discussions with the Forestry branch, six specific research questions were developed.

1. How have businesses capitalised on forest products and services to support the economic growth of their business?
2. What economic opportunities have forest products and services provided to businesses?
3. What barriers have businesses faced in capitalising on forest products and services?
4. What psychological and physiological health benefits are associated with woodlands?
5. What non-health related social benefits are associated with woodlands?
6. What barriers exist that prevent engagement in woodlands?

When reviewing the findings highlighted in this report, any study limitations should be considered. The literature identified was influenced by the search terms used, therefore, other search terms may have yielded further relevant sources. Due to the limited number of results from UK sources, the search was widened to international studies from countries with similar climates including Europe and North America. The literature search was also broadened out to include evidence on broader green space where woodland-specific research was limited or research grouped woodlands within broader greenspace. Although findings may be relevant to forestry policy in Wales, these limitations should be considered when applying these findings to Wales.

Use of Non wood forest products (NWFPs) and services across Europe and Wales

Evidence identified in the review highlights the contribution of forests and woodlands to the local and national economy of Wales. Evidence from Wales and internationally described how these natural resources generate revenue and employment through activities such as timber and wood fuel production, as well as the harvesting of non-wood forest products (NWFPs). Additionally, forests support services like recreational activities and play a role in boosting the tourism and hospitality sectors.

However, evidence identified highlight that the availability of NWFPs in Wales may be more limited than in other countries, primarily due to the relatively low woodland cover. Nonetheless, there is public interest in gathering these products in Wales such as decorative, floral, craft, and food or drink products. Evidence from European studies show public participation in gathering these products and the types of NWFPs gathered vary considerably across different regions.

Regarding forest services, the review identified evidence that forests and woodlands play a valuable role in nature-based recreation, offering services that attract visitors and support local economies such as tourism and hospitality businesses. Those working in the forestry sector emphasised the suitability of woodland spaces for recreational use as they can adapt to a range of tourism activities and seasonal demands and are resilient to high visitor numbers. Forests located near urban areas and featuring diverse habitats such as woodland and grassland, were also identified as more attractive for recreation, as they offered varied experiences and increased the overall value of woodland tourism.

Economic opportunities of NWFPs and services

The review identified evidence that NWFPs can offer important business opportunities and job creation in rural areas. They have potential to diversify livelihoods, support rural development, and increase income for landowners and rural businesses, especially where wage labour is limited. Furthermore, a small number of sources identified that wood and non-wood production can complement each other to support income generation.

Evidence showed the economic value of NWFPs varies widely across Europe. The overall value increases when products gathered for personal use are taken into account. Despite growth in quantity and market value, the review found that NWFPs still fall below the market value of wood production.

In terms of forest services, the evidence highlights that woodlands contribute considerably to the outdoor activity tourism sector in Wales, which has seen notable growth in recent years. Woodland recreation was recognised in the available literature as a key driver of tourism expenditure, with increasing opportunities for income generation for woodland businesses.

The review also identified a growing interest in Wales in fungus foraging and farmers' markets which could reflect a wider enthusiasm for nature-connected experiences. Studies suggest the tourism sector could take advantage of this to offer opportunities to connect with nature through overnight stays or cultural, sport or health and well-being activities in or near forests.

Barriers to capitalising on NWFPs and services

Evidence gathered in the review highlights two main barriers to capitalising on NWFPs. The first barrier is data quality and coverage, the review found inconsistencies in official reporting, often due to differences in how these were measured and the diverse, site-specific nature of NWFPs, which complicates classification and integration into national forest surveys. Researchers noted that limited information in some areas may skew findings and lead to an underestimation of their economic value.

The second barrier identified in the research found that NWFPs were often harder to commercialise than other products due to market and production challenges. The review identified that success depended on factors such as product type and market conditions. Research suggests that effective commercialisation requires a long-term approach, combining market knowledge with good management of natural resources.

Several barriers to tourism and business development were identified in the forestry sector such as limited collaboration between tourism and forestry businesses, ecosystem pressures, public concerns with the overuse of forests, and the need to balance traditional and new forest products.

The review also identifies several projects aimed at developing the management, marketability and profitability of NWFPs across Wales, including StarTree, Dewis Gwyllt, Good From the Woods, and LEADER. Researchers concluded from these sources that most of these initiatives successfully enhanced understanding of the economic potential of forest products in Wales. However, evidence shows they faced scalability issues due to supply chain gaps, limited capacity among local organisations and small businesses, and lack of funding support.

More generally, the review highlights further evidence is needed on how businesses in Wales have capitalised on NWFPs and services. The evidence base would benefit from more research and evaluations of business activities in this space.

Psychological and physiological health benefits associated with woodlands

The review found that a variety of factors may influence the extent to which individuals experience health and social benefits from forests and woodlands. These include demographic and social inequalities, frequency of visits, proximity to greenspace, the types of activities people engage in, and preference for specific forest features such as wilderness and natural aesthetics. The review also identified mixed evidence on passive versus active use, some research suggests that the forest environment by itself can lead to positive wellbeing outcomes, whilst other sources suggest certain activities such as walking or through longer visits lead to positive outcomes.

In terms of psychological health benefits, the review identified a range of evidence sources showing the restorative effects of exposure to woodlands and their ability to reduce stress, boost mood and improve subjective wellbeing. Further, research also identified how forests offer space for outdoor physical activity and how exercising in woodlands can also support both individual’s physical and mental health.

Evidence from empirical studies and programmes suggests that the quality of the environment and individuals’ sense of connection to nature influence these outcomes, though the benefits may not be experienced equally across social groups.

Evidence from the review also indicates that forest visits may provide physiological health benefits by supporting stress recovery including lowering cortisol and blood pressure. Research additionally shows that in some cases forest environments can have beneficial effects on individuals’ heart rate variability (HRV) although one study identified showed no difference in this measure.

The review highlights the interconnection between psychological and physiological health, as these effects often co-occur during direct contact with forest environments. The review emphasised limitations in the evidence base, including inconsistent study designs and a lack of longitudinal research which impacts how far these findings can be applied to other contexts, including in Wales. Therefore, further high-quality, long-term research is needed to clarify these relationships and ensure forest-based interventions are inclusive and effective across diverse populations and settings.

Non-health related benefits associated with woodlands

A small number of sources identified in the review found that forests can hold a range of social and cultural values for example, through the cultural importance of trees in folklore and myth. The current evidence base on the relationship between cultural and social values and how people experience them is largely theoretical and more research is needed to fully understand this relationship in practice.

Barriers that prevent engagement in woodlands

The evidence highlighted structural and demographic barriers that limit equitable access to nature, particularly for low-income and marginalised groups. Structural barriers such as limited availability of nearby green spaces, poor quality environments, and the costs associated with travel and equipment were found to restrict access, particularly for low-income and ethnic minority communities. These challenges were seen to be compounded by the intersection of demographic factors, including age, gender, and health status, which can influence both the likelihood of visiting forests, and the benefits derived from such visits. The review also identified that cultural and social dynamics were found to play a role, with some groups feeling excluded or underrepresented in green spaces.

Overall, the evidence highlighted that although forests can offer meaningful benefits, these are not always equally accessible to all and addressing structural and social barriers is essential to ensure more equitable outcomes.

Several themes were identified across the six research questions explored in the report. These may be relevant when considering further research in Wales.

The main themes identified from research within the literature review

• The use of NWFPs varies across Europe, with interest in Wales but potential to gather NWFPs potentially being limited by low woodland cover.
• Forest-based services provide opportunities for local businesses such as those in the tourism and hospitality sector.
• NWFPs and forest services provide opportunities to support rural economies through business creation, income diversification, and nature-based experiences.
• Barriers to NWFP development include inconsistent data, commercialisation challenges, and limited capacity among small businesses.
• Barriers to forest services include weak collaboration, environmental pressures, public concerns, and the challenge of balancing traditional and emerging forest uses.
• Research was identified showing the health and social benefits of forests and woodlands. Evidence highlighted included a range of sources on positive psychological health impacts with some literature also available on physiological health benefits of woodland exposure.
• Research highlighted how structural and demographic barriers intersect to shape who benefits from forests and woodlands.

In terms of the quality and type of evidence identified, the review identified literature reviews, journal articles, theses, and biomedical reports largely from Europe and Asia. The evidence often focused on greenspaces more generally and there was a lack of long-term evaluations on how businesses in Wales used forest products and services. Additionally, the evidence found in this review may have been influenced by the search terms used, as such, different search terms may have yielded different results.

Report author: Meghan Duffin

Views expressed in this report are those of the researchers and not necessarily those of the Welsh Government.

For further information please contact:
Climate and Environment Research Team
Social Research and Information Division
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Email: ClimateAndEnvironmentResearch@gov.wales

Social research number: 108/2025
Digital ISBN: 978-1-80633-615-9