Conserving Ecuador's Tropical Dry Forest: Reforestation and Community Benefits
The Tropical Dry Forest in Ecuador: Conservation, Reforestation, and Benefits for Local Communities
The Tropical Dry Forest in Ecuador is a vital and threatened ecosystem that plays a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and protecting Palo Santo with its unique health benefits for humans. However, unsustainable human activities and fragmentation pose risks to the diversity of this region.
To address this situation, a reforestation project focused on the Palo Santo tree (bursera graveolens) has been initiated, as it holds significant cultural and economic importance. Palo Santo products are derived from wood that is over 30 years old, as the tree only produces its valuable essential oil after natural death and a 2-4 year aging process. Preserving these ecosystems is essential to maintain biodiversity and safeguard the Palo Santo species, along with its distinct properties and aroma.
The project called #PaloSantoDoneRight, has the participation of the local community, the university, NGOs, the Ecuadorian government, educational units, and other key actors to achieve actions that prevent, mitigate, and remedy environmental impacts, as well as follow-up plans. , evaluation and monitoring of flora and fauna. To date, nurseries have been established with various species from the dry forest, and over 11,500 trees have been reforested in different areas of Manabí.
Walking towards the 12000 reforested Palo Santo trees
In an emotional day of reforestation, we joined the Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí (ULEAM) to plant 200 more Palo Santo trees, adding a total of 11,700 reforested trees since 2015.
This new initiative, which involved 47 Environmental Engineering students and teachers, is part of a continuous effort to preserve the Manabi dry forest and contribute to the development of sustainable communities.
The Protected Natural Reserve Revolutionizing Environmental Conservation and Benefiting Local Communities
The conservation of the Dry Forest is important to preserve biodiversity and the Palo Santo
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROTECTED NATURE RESERVE BVP "ElArtesan EcuadorianHands"
Palo Santo Incense Sticks, Uses and Benefits
Bursera graveolens, known in Spanish as Palo Santo ("holy wood") is a tree that inhabits the coast of Ecuador. The tree belongs to the same family (Burseraceae) as frankincense and myrrh. It is widely used in folk medicine. Aged heartwood is rich in terpenes such as limonene and α-terpineol.
The use of Palo Santo (or Palo Santo) from Bursera Graveolens is reported to be traditional in South America, especially in Ecuador. According to the local customs, it is used against the "mala energia" (bad energy) ("Palo Santo para limpiar tu casa de la mala energia, Palo Santo para la buena suerte" or "Palo Santo to clean your house of bad energy, Palo Santo for good luck").
Incense is made without damaging the Palo Santo tree. We only process wood that has been found to have died naturally in the forest. The tree grows for about 30 to 40 years and then dies. Then, it has to wait another 2-4 years, before we can process it, since this is the only way in Palo Santo to manifest its properties and we can take advantage of them.
"Palo Santo grows wildy in the forest. However, we are replanting palo santo trees that we will not get to process. This is our contribution to the future generations to come".
The Palo Santo (Bursera Graveolens) is a tree from the Ecuadorian dry forests which was used by Shamans to cure many diseases; this is the reason why the Spanish that settled here call the tree "Santo".
If we think of the body like a house where we live, we can take into consideration the ancient rituals based on Palo Santo as the ancient peoples lacked knowledge of illnesses which to them were all products of bad energy.
Palo Santo (Bursera Graveolens) is an aromatic wood; Its smoke is used as a repellent to keep off mosquitoes, ants and other insects. It also cleans and helps to remove the bad energy from the home, keep away evil spirits, induces meditation and spiritual search. The scent of Palo Santo is extremely soothing and transmits a powerful energy.
In December of the present year, we will plant an estimate of four thousand more palo santo trees, but in areas with less population of trees at the moment. These activities are contributing to support more and more the restauration of the tropical dry forest where Bursera Graveolens live.