Young Living Foundation Leads Palo Santo Tree Reforestation Project

During a recent service trip to Ecuador, The D. Gary Young, Young Living Foundation led a team of volunteers to plant palo santo trees in a protected area where they can continue to grow and replenish the forest’s population.

LEHI, UTAH APRIL 11, 2023

Nearly 700 palo santo trees were planted by The D. Gary Young, Young Living Foundation and Young Living Essential Oils’ Brand Partner volunteers during a recent service trip to Loja, Ecuador. The seedlings were planted back into their origin forests as a part of a sustainability management plan between Young Living, Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment, and the Diaz family to help ease deforestation in the region.

The trees were grown from a crop of seeds purchased from the Diaz family, who are one of our partners in sourcing palo santo, and germinated at Young Living's Finca Botanica Farm and Distillery since Earth Day 2022. The remaining seedlings from this service trip will be planted by the Diaz family later this year, and the next planting of palo santo seedlings is expected to happen in 2024.

The Young Living Foundation, with help from the Finca Botanica Farm and Distillery team, helped fund the reforestation project that would bring a greater number of younger trees to the area. The trip consisted of 11 Young Living Brand Partners, 2 Young Living Foundation employees, 6 team members from the Finca Botanica Farm and Distillery, and 2 of the Diaz brothers. The Ministry of Environment was also closely involved in the project, as palo santo is subject to strict regulations.

“We take land preservation and reforestation very seriously at Young Living, and we have conservation projects across the globe,” said Chris Packer, Senior Director of Farm Labs and New Botanicals at Young Living. "The Finca Botanica Farm and Distillery team members, along with the Diaz family, go above and beyond to ensure the proper methods are used to increase the palo santo population such as testing soil composition and nutrition, innovating regenerative agricultural approaches, and documenting the health and quality of our plants. We are impressed by the team’s dedication to sustainability.”

The trees will grow to be about 50 to 60 years old. After their natural demise, they will remain untouched for another three to five years, at which point the Diaz family will sustainably harvest the wood that has naturally fallen from trees. The wood will then be steam distilled by the Finca Botanica Farm and Distillery to create premium Palo Santo essential oil.

“By introducing these younger trees to the land, we’re protecting the future of the forest,” said Packer. “Palo santo seeds are known for being difficult to germinate. But in a healthy forest, such as the one the Diaz family farm sits on, the trees enjoy the help of the local birds who eat and disperse the seeds, which assists in germinating naturally.”

Young Living works closely with the Diaz family on the sustainable management of the land. Harvesting essential oil is only an added benefit to Young Living’s commitment to the overall health of the ecosystem that allows for a healthy forest of palo santo trees. With this perspective, Young Living and the Foundation believe they can make a difference to deepen the movement for a livable planet that works for everyone.

To learn more about the Young Living Foundation’s efforts to protect the earth, please visit their website.

Young Living Essential Oils, LC, based in Lehi, Utah, is the world leader in essential oils, offering the highest-quality oil-infused products available. Young Living takes its industry leadership seriously, setting the standard with its proprietary Seed to Seal® quality commitment. This guiding principle helps Young Living protect the planet and provide authentic products that its Brand Partners and Customers can feel confident using and sharing with friends and family. Young Living’s products—sourced from corporate-owned farms, partner farms, and other trusted suppliers—not only support a healthy lifestyle, but also provide opportunities for over 6 million global Brand Partners to find a sense of purpose and whole-life wellness by aligning their work with the Young Living values and passions. For more information, visit YoungLiving.com, follow @youngliving on Instagram, or like us on Facebook.

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