The city of Bad Nauheim wants to have its listed forest park certified as a spa and healing forest.

This would make the forest park the first in Hesse to receive this award.

A forest therapy offer is to be created that will bring the park back into the health focus and take up the original idea of ​​its use.

This goes back to an initiative by Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig von Hessen-Darmstadt, who had the site laid out at the beginning of the 19th century so that spa guests could relax, but also to treat circulatory and lung diseases.

An area of ​​around 200 hectares west of the city center between the so-called ski meadow and the forest ponds is included in the plans.

Not only a large network of huts and vantage points should be set up there.

A so-called forest bathroom is also planned.

According to the city, the historic Kurpark is excluded from the plans.

Balance beam for balance exercises

The aim is to create an offer for all Bad Nauheim residents and also for spa guests.

For the spa and medicinal forest, a so-called forest park maintenance work was decided.

With its help, the paths and huts are to be maintained and expanded.

"The entire area was laid out 100 years ago as part of the spa concept in order to focus on the recreational function," says Mayor Klaus Kreß (independent).

Now the area will be returned to its original dimension.

This also includes no longer using this forest for forestry purposes.

The offers are differentiated.

There should be therapeutic offers in the healing forest, for example a balance beam for balance exercises or a barefoot path.

Preventive offers should be found in the Kurwald, among other things to strengthen the body's defences.

In addition, toilets and a rescue net will be installed so that ambulances and doctors can help quickly in case of doubt.

The urban development department is in charge of the project and is supported by the spa and service operations of the city of Bad Nauheim.

The city of Bad Nauheim spends 100,000 euros a year on the project.

These are to be used to maintain the infrastructure.

It is about proving medical and therapeutic competence as a health and spa town, says Kreß.

With the certification concept, Bad Nauheim is a pioneer in Hesse.

So far, there are only role models in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Rhineland-Palatinate.

So far, there are no corresponding specifications as to how certification for Hessian spa and medicinal forests could look.

But the mayor hopes that the certification will be successful as early as next year.