With the growing pressures of modern society, physical and mental health issues have emerged as critical global concerns. Forest therapy (FT), a novel health management model that integrates natural environments with physical and mental healing, has gained increasing attention in recent years. However, mainstream FT approaches often overlook the psychological value of interpersonal interaction. Building upon traditional FT, this study proposes a new framework called companionship-based forest therapy (CBFT), which emphasizes the importance of emotional support within natural settings. CBFT is not intended as a replacement for conventional FT, but rather as an optimized approach that enhances its therapeutic effects by incorporating the element of companionship. This study aims to evaluate the physiological and psychological benefits of a novel intervention model—companion-based forest therapy (CBFT)—compared to conventional forest therapy models. Grounded in psychological theories and supported by empirical analysis, this study presents an applied framework of CBFT grounded in established psychological theories and validates its effectiveness through a comparative intervention involving 30 college students. Interpreted from the perspectives of ecological and humanistic psychology, the results indicate that CBFT significantly improves emotional regulation, reduces physiological stress responses, and enhances overall mental well-being. These findings highlight the value of social connection in FT practices and offer new directions for the development and application of forest therapy.

To quantitatively assess the environmental impact of producing a typical bamboo-based fiber composite material—bamboo scrimber (BS)—and to explore pathways for low-carbon optimization, this study adopts the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method with a focus on carbon footprint analysis. Using the actual production process of an enterprise as a case study, field data were collected and analyzed for bamboo scrimber with a nominal thickness of 1.5 cm. The results show that the carbon footprint of 1 m² of this product is 3.11 kg CO₂-eq, with the manufacturing stage contributing the highest emissions at 1.45 kg CO₂-eq. The primary source of carbon emissions is steam consumption, mainly occurring during the carbonization and drying of bamboo bundles. Therefore, optimizing these stages is crucial for reducing the overall carbon footprint of the product. This study provides a scientific basis for the sustainable development of bamboo-based fiber composite materials and offers practical recommendations for improving their environmental performance in production.

Crabapples (Malus spp.) are widely planted ornamental and multipurpose trees in temperate regions and represent an important component of forest and landscape resources. However, the absence of a standardized classification framework has led to nomenclatural confusion, hindering germplasm conservation, breeding, and international exchange. In this study, 80 introduced crabapple cultivars preserved in the germplasm repository of Nanjing Forestry University were systematically evaluated using 55 morphological traits of flowers, leaves, fruits, and tree architecture. A hierarchical framework was established based on flower type and corolla color, dividing cultivars into Single, Semidouble, and Double Flower groups, with further subdivisions of Single cultivars by color. Numerical taxonomy (R- and Q-type clustering) validated the robustness of this framework, identifying petal number and corolla color as the most consistent traits across cultivars and seasons (inter-cultivar CV < 10%), serving as reliable diagnostic indicators, although within-cultivar variation was not quantified. The proposed system resolved frequent misidentifications (e.g., M. ‘Kelsey’ and M. ‘Molten Lava’) and provided standardized descriptors for cultivar identification. Beyond taxonomy, the framework enhances germplasm management, supports nursery production and landscape forestry, and facilitates international exchange of ornamental resources. These findings highlight the potential of integrating morphological and numerical approaches for germplasm diversity assessment and contribute to the development of a unified global classification system for ornamental crabapples.

Bamboo-based engineered products have attracted increasing attention because of their renewable origin and long-term carbon storage potential. However, conventional life cycle assessment (LCA) mainly evaluates greenhouse gas emissions and cannot quantify how efficiently biomass-derived carbon is retained during manufacturing. Therefore, this study proposes carbon transfer efficiency (CTE) as a complementary indicator for assessing retained biogenic carbon in bamboo-based engineered products. Based on plant-scale manufacturing data from a representative bamboo scrimber factory in China, CTE was quantified together with the cradle-to-gate carbon footprint. Carbon loss distribution among manufacturing stages and sensitivity to key process parameters were further analyzed. Results showed that 65–78% of the initial biogenic carbon was retained in the final product. Unit separation and secondary machining accounted for more than 70% of total carbon loss, whereas adhesive application and hot pressing dominated greenhouse gas emissions but caused little direct carbon loss. Material-loss-related parameters exhibited substantially greater influence on CTE than energy-related parameters. These findings demonstrate that carbon retention efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions characterize different dimensions of environmental performance. Integrating CTE with LCA provides a more comprehensive framework for evaluating carbon storage and low-carbon manufacturing of bamboo-based engineered products.