Forestry Department promotes health and wellness through hiking
The Forestry Department is encouraging Jamaicans to join the #HikeLife to boost their health and wellness amidst the demands of personal and professional life.
On September 16, 2025, the environmental agency launched registration for Forest Trek II, its second major hike this year, and invited the public islandwide to hike in the world-renowned Blue Mountain Forest Reserve in St. Andrew on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
Nasheji-Gaye Elliot, Public Relations and Communications Officer, said, “Hiking is an exciting and invigorating way to be well physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. It strengthens the body; it destresses the mind; it is a fun way for families, friends and colleagues to bond, and it really brings you closer to something greater than yourself – the wonders of the forest, which many still have not experienced”.
The November event marks the seventeenth staging of Forest Trek, which started in 2011 to celebrate International Day of Forests on March 21. Since then, the hike has become a staple among fitness and nature enthusiasts who take on the cross-country hike in a forest, often a forest reserve. In 2023, Ainsley A. Henry, CEO and Conservator of Forests, expanded the hike to children to make it a family event, promoting health and wellness for the entire family.
Mr. Henry stated, “It is imperative that we seek to engage entire families, especially in matters of health, wellness and environmental stewardship. We are fortunate to live in a place where our forests provide perfect opportunities for leisure and fellowship. Walking in forests has been proven to not only be great for improving our physical health but also our mental health and well-being, benefits that must be experienced to be properly understood.”
The 10-kilometre trail will start in Miss Lou (Gordon Town) Square and end in the famous Holywell Recreational Park. Francine Black Richards, Senior Director, Corporate Communications and Marketing, said, “This trail is a special one that takes hikers gradually from a peri-urban space into the deep forest, from a culturally significant point as Miss Lou square where our cultural icon lived for many years and into the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site celebrating the tenth year of this designation. The site also sits within our largest Forest Reserve in the island, the Blue Mountain Forest Reserve.” She continued, “We have done this trail before in 2013, but we have brought it back for those who have never done it before and those who want to relive the formidable experience.”
While the trail difficulty is rated as an overall rating of 8 out of 10, which requires the hikers to be fit, Forest Trek II includes points at which hikers can skip challenging parts of the terrain without missing out on the experience.
Mrs. Black Richards added, “The 10-kilometre trail is for persons 13 years and older, and we have a special 1-kilometre trail for children under 13 who must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Persons can also choose either of the 5KM options for a shorter but equally impactful experience.”
The Blue Mountain Forest Reserve is not only the country's largest forest reserve but also well-known for its rich natural and cultural heritage that all Jamaicans should know about. The reserve is one of the few closed broadleaf or pristine natural forests remaining on the island and is an important forest ecosystem that preserves many endemic and native flora and fauna that make up the island's biodiversity.
Forest Trek was conceptualised as a public awareness event offering people first-hand exposure to the forest while enriching their knowledge and appreciation for the forest. They can also contribute directly to forest conservation by planting trees at designated points along the trail. Persons should register on the Forestry Department’s website at www.forestry.gov.jm/ForestTrek.
