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Recent News
Palo Santo Project Receives
Certification of Ecological Operation October 2008
A guarantee that the
local community will benefit economically
For many years, the dry forests of Zapotillo
in southern Ecuador harbored a resource that would offer an excellent
source of income for the poor people of the region. In 2007 and
2008, Nature and Culture assisted the communities of Malvas, Chaquito,
Paletillas de Malvas, and Totumos (80 families in all), by developing
a program to benefit from the fruit of the Palo Santo tree. The
essential oils of the fruit are extracted and are currently sold
to Natura, a Brazilian cosmetics company that develops fine perfumes
for the international market. On October 17, NCI received a Certification
of Ecological Operation from the certifying company Ecocert for
the development and commercialization of the Palo Santo fruit.
With this achievement, we are guaranteeing that the environment
will not be contaminated, that the functionality of the dry forest
will not be affected, and that the people who live in these natural
ecosystems will benefit economically such that there will be an
improvement in their standard and quality of life.
The
essential oils of the fruit are extracted and are currently sold
to Natura, a Brazilian cosmetics company that develops fine perfumes
for the international market. On October 17, NCI received a Certification
of Ecological Operation from the certifying company Ecocert for
the development and commercialization of the Palo Santo fruit.
With this achievement, we are guaranteeing that the environment
will not be contaminated, that the functionality of the dry forest
will not be affected, and that the people who live in these natural
ecosystems will benefit economically such that there will be an
improvement in their standard and quality of life. 