ANFT Certification Consultant Course

Earn Your Certification as an ANFT Trails Consultant

Who This Course is For:

This course is designed for Forest Therapy Guides who wish to expand their professional practice by becoming ANFT Certification Consultants. Through this training, you will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to support  and guide land managers and organizations through the process of certifying trails, spaces, and places as ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Locations.

If you are passionate about creating immersive, healing natural spaces and wish to play an active role in curating and refining these spaces, this course is for you.

Prerequisites

This course is open to:

  • ANFT-trained Forest Therapy Guides who have completed guide training (immersion does not need to be completed yet).
  • Forest Therapy Guides trained by an ANFT - approved organizations.
  • Forest Bathing Guides trained by a non-approved organization who have also completed the ANFT Relational Forest Therapy Course.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome and Orientation

    • Acknowledgements

    • Welcome

    • Role of the Program Director

    • Training and Resources
  • 2

    Consultant Community Gathering Calls

    • Monthly Q & A - Zoom Calls - Community Gatherings
  • 3

    Introduction

    • The Interwoven Health of People and Forests

    • The Roots of Forest Therapy Certification: Japan’s Pioneering Approach

    • ANFT Certification Framework

    • ANFT's Science and Medical Research Advisory Board

    • Understanding the Value of Certified Forest Therapy Sites
  • 4

    Trails, Spaces & Places

    • What Makes a Location Ideal for Certification?

    • Guided, Self-Guided & Hybrid Experiences

    • Certification Cost
  • 5

    Scope of Practice

    • What is an ANFT Certification Consultant and what do they do?

    • The Mind of the Consultant

    • One or More Trails
  • 6

    Certification Criteria

    • Certification Criteria Overview

    • Safety

    • Infrastructure

    • Ease of Access

    • Design

    • Ecosystem Health

    • Management

  • 7

    Partnership Pathways

    • Sit Spots

    • Examples
  • 8

    ANFT Project Example #1

    • Mistico Trail - Costa Rica

    • Creating the Mistico Trail in Costa Rica

    • The Process
  • 9

    Principals & Concepts

    • Standard Design Principals

    • Pathways to Trail Building

    • Sustainable Trail Development

    • Forest Therapy Trails Project

    • Considerations for New Trail Construction and Certification

    • Biophilic Design Principles

    • Working with Fractals

    • Fractals In Nature

    • Examples: Trail Photos

    • Examples: Water Features

    • Examples: Gather Spots and Shelter Photos

    • Enhancing Sensory Engagement: Structures and Elements

    • Elements Supporting Forest Therapy Experiences

    • NFF Grant Funds First Forest Therapy Trail On National Forest
  • 10

    ANFT Project Example #2

    • Bohinj Forest Melody

    • Bohinj Forest Melody Assessment Application
  • 11

    Step-by-Step

    • Building Effective Relationships with Land Managers for Site Certification

    • Initiating the Process

    • Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

    • Land Manager Information & Registration Process

    • Initiating the TSP ID and Assessment Application

    • Upload MOUs

    • Methods of Payment

    • Assignment: Drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
  • 12

    Phase I

    • Beginning the Assessment Process: Seeing the Trail with New Eyes

    • Create a Site Map

    • Supporting Documentation

    • Recommendations

    • ANFT Review Phase I

    • Assignment: Assessment

    • Assignment: Recommendations
  • 13

    Phase II

    • Phase 2 Overview

    • Signs

    • Self-Guide/Invitations

    • Invitational Signage Examples

    • ANFT Phase II Review

    • Assignment: Invitations
  • 14

    Project Example #3 - FREE PREVIEW

  • 15

    Awarding Certification

    • Celebrate the Occasion!

    • Re-Certification & Conversions
  • 16

    Next Steps

    • ANFT Consultant Certification - Final Steps

    • Your feedback is important!

  • 17

    ANFT Consultant Community Resources

    • Program Links & Downloads

    • Resource Repository

    • Certified Locations Map