How doTERRA is Supporting Reforestation Efforts through Essential Oil Production

At the junction of sustainability and wellness, doTERRA is working to rebuild natural forest landscapes on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Reforestation in Hawaii

This fall, I was lucky enough to travel with a group of media professionals to Hawaii to learn about doTERRA’s collaboration with the Kealakekua Mountain Reserve (KMR) on the Big Island. KMR is located on 9,000 acres of former ranch land that was overgrazed and over-logged for several years. Deforestation in this area has led to reduced precipitation and native plant survival, with the area now being dominated by grasses. Plus, lack of shade in this area has further prevented native species, like ferns, from rehabitating the land.

While doTERRA sources plant materials for their products from all over the world, their ‘Iliahi essential oil is made from Hawaiian ‘Iliahi sandalwood trees, endemic to the state. During our stay at KMR, we learned about the essential oil making process through visiting their nursery, processing facility, and distillery.

doTERRA harvests damaged sandalwood trees from KMR for essential oil production while concurrently planting new seedlings within the mountain reserve. To date, they’ve planted over 600,000 trees in this area, helping to restore the original native landscape.

But they’re not just planting any trees, they thoughtfully plant this area with two unique tree varieties: ‘Iliahi and Koa. ‘Iliahi is, of course, the native Hawaiian sandalwood tree whereas Koa is sought-after hardwood that is often used for furnishings, instruments, and more. These two trees are co-planted as Koa is a nitrogen-fixer that forms root connections with ‘Iliahi and together they grow and thrive far better than if they were planted alone. Co-planting is just one age-old sustainable farming practice that helps eliminate or reduce synthetic fertilizer use and boost soil health (among other benefits).

As a group, we each planted a Koa and ‘Iliahi tree — both of which will soon grow to offer shade and natural habitats for wildlife. In fact, these trees grow so quickly that in a few years, they will be similar in size to other decades-old tree varieties.

The newly planted tress will stay in the ground for several years. The ‘Iliahi trees are only being taken when damaged for essential oil production while the Koa trees are occasionally harvested once matured for hardwood uses. Harvesting is done in a way that continues to promote KMR’s reforestation efforts, with new trees going in the ground all the time to replace them.

How I Use Essential Oils at Home

While essential oils can’t be ingested and, in turn, are not quite nutrition-related, they can play an important role in overall wellness on a daily basis. There’s plenty of research available to show that essential oils contain meaningful amounts of phytochemicals, or plant compounds, that benefit our health in a multitude of ways. They can support gut, brain, heart, immune, skin, and even sleep health (just to name a few).

I personally always have some variety of essential oil diffusing in my living room during the day when I’m home. I choose which oil to diffuse based on my needs on that given day…maybe I need to relax, energize, focus…there’s seemingly an essential oil for everything.

I also utilize essential oils to make homemade hair oils and facial exfoliators. However, my favorite way to use essential oils (and reduce waste) is to make my own candles! I’ve been making candles at home for years as not only a wholesome activity but as a way to reuse containers and old candle wax while reducing unnecessary waste and purchasing.

Plus, it’s simple! All you need is a container to melt your wax in, candle containers, wicks (and stickers to attach them to your containers), candle wax (I prefer organic soy-based), and your favorite essential oils! It ultimately saves money, too, which is a major bonus.

My Take Homes

The collaboration between doTERRA and the KMR is just another example of how business can be conducted in a way that honors the environment and moves us towards a more sustainable future. Plus, essential oils come in perfectly petite packages that last for a very long time (as a little goes a long way), further minimizing waste. They serve as not only effective health-boosters but help you to avoid the toxic chemicals, microplastics, and other concerning ingredients found in many fragrances and fragranced products.

Posted By: Christina · In: Blog, Sustainability