BEHIND THE BOTTLE
Guaiacwood
Known as the ‘ impenetrable forest ’ due to its dense and difficult to access terrain , the Gran Chaco is divided between Paraguay , Bolivia , Argentina and Brazil , and is one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet . Gran Chaco ’ s unique soil and climate combination has created several species that don ’ t exist endemically anywhere else in the world ( or exist exclusively in this area ), including the Guaiacwood tree or Bulnesia sarmientoi .
Unfortunately , the Gran Chaco Forest is also one of the most rapidly deforested areas in the world . Although Paraguay has regulations and policies in place to minimise deforestation , much of the forest , including the endangered Guaiacwood tree , continues to be cut down for cattle grazing and agricultural production .
Another threat to the Guaiacwood species is the unethical harvesting of essential oils and the lack of regulation and oversight . With more than 100,000 kg of guaiacwood oil being produced and exported from Paraguay each year , primarily for the fragrance and perfume industries , it is hard to believe much of it is being done legally or sustainably .
For that reason dōTERRA has been working closely with a trusted and transparent partner in Paraguay who has been setting up a first-of-its-kind ethical sourcing operation for Guaiacwood oil . Our sourcing partner is the only company certified at the highest levels by the Union for Ethical Biotrade ( UEBT ) to ensure that harvesting and sourcing is truly done sustainably . They have spent more than three years gathering proper permits , networking , and building a distillery to responsibly bring Guaiacwood essential oil to the world .
04