Reconnecting with nature through forest bathing is at the core of Iris’ approach to improving mental health. She hopes that the Fellowship can give her the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals doing their part to improve mental health. In the future she hopes to shape the city’s green planning to encourage ordinary citizens to reconnect with nature easily.

Born and raised Hongkonger, Iris Chan sees worsening mental health as the most pressing concern in today’s society. She is deeply concerned about how mental health among diverse demographics has deteriorated over the past few years: from rising rates of self-harm and suicide among young students to broader trends like rampant urbanization and technological advancements like automation in the workplace causing severe stress. She believes in investing in forest bathing, which involves spending time in nature to promote calmness, and counter illness. Immersing oneself in nature can help individuals combat mental and physical health challenges.

As a certified Forest Bathing guide, Iris believes that it is essential for humans to reflect, remember, and reconnect with nature to heal. She is inspired by how forest bathing has been adopted by medical systems across the globe, including in Japan, South Korea, Germany and beyond. Though she recognizes there is a long way to go for forest bathing to become prevalent in Hong Kong, she sees it as a tool with great potential. Co-hosting mindful running programs in the city, she is especially concerned about Hong Kong’s high-pressure environment and the ways in which it contributes to stress and overall poor health outcomes in the population.

Through the Fellowship, Iris hopes to gain tools to contribute positively to the mental health landscape of Hong Kong. She is eager to connect with fellows and mentors from diverse backgrounds and spark ideas for her next steps. One of her main goals is to collaborate with stakeholders such as urban planners and government agencies to try using spaces like urban parks to promote more wellbeing activities . For example, she hopes to see rules relaxed so that visitors can lie down and rest in nature. She believes that such holistic approaches can benefit citizens.

In her spare time, Iris takes pleasure in all things handmade. She likes learning about handmade art, reading inspirational books, spending time with cats and resting.