The Catalan Institute of Cork Foundation, as a member of the Wine Route of the Denomination of Origin Empordà, participates again in the vivid, the DO Empordà wine festival that takes place during the month of April.

This year the proposed activity is a Cork oak forest bathroom with wine tasting covered with Estate caps which will take place on the days April 24 and 25 in Can Vilallonga (Cassà de la Selva) with the collaboration of Consorci de les Gavarres. The activity on the 24th is for adults only and the one on the 25th for the whole family and will be run by guides from the company Biotope Nature.

What is a forest bath?

Forest bathing is a natural therapy from Japan focused on improving the health and well-being of the people who use it multiple benefits. It consists of an immersive experience in a natural environment such as the cork in this case to get away from the visual and auditory pollution of the city to enjoy the stillness of the forest and capture every element of nature with the five senses.

The experience takes place in small groups (maximum ten people) and accompanied by a guide who acts as a mediator between the participants and the forest.

What environmental benefits do forest baths bring?

The forest bathing activity is a formula for adding possibilities to the corks, which, beyond the exploitation of cork, offer a whole series of environmental services direct and indirect that bring both economic performance and benefits for society, such as increasing people's well-being and quality of life or maintaining ecological balances (Source: The value of the environmental services of the cork oak forests in Catalonia).

(Photo: banydebosc.com)