Legal Regulation of Forest Therapy in Healthcare: Implications for Professional Practice in Lithuania and the Republic of Korea

Background/Objectives: This article examines legal and professional challenges related to legal regulation of forest therapy. It explores the legal and institutional frameworks governing professional forest therapy and their implications for professional qualifications, access to practice, and the organization of professional activities in Lithuania and the Republic of Korea. It also illustrates regulatory models and examples of certification practices for forest therapy professionals in the European Union (EU) and third countries, provided by public and private bodies. This study identifies similarities and differences in professional forest therapy training and qualification requirements, and considers their potential implications for professional responsibility and protecting service users. Methods: A structured comparative legal analysis of legal and documentary sources was conducted, complemented by a structured analysis of scientific literature. Results: Forest therapy is regulated through diverse, often non-harmonized legal and professional frameworks. Differences exist in the legal definition of the practice, practitioner qualifications and training, and certification and accreditation procedures. These differences may affect access to professional practice, professional accountability, and safeguards for users, especially where professional forest therapy is provided in a healthcare context. Conclusions: The lack of harmonized regulation may have relevance for legal uncertainty among practitioners and service users. Greater clarity on professional forest therapy standards, methodology, qualifications, and the relationship between forest therapy and healthcare regulation can be relevant to professional mobility, forest therapy service quality and consistency, and the protection of patients’ and users’ rights.