Last week I was in Hawai'i, and I have so much to tell about my trip that I decided to start a blog to record it all. It's much too long for a newsletter!
My trip was a long-awaited gift from doTERRA for a four-month intense program that I did called Diamond Club. I was very motivated to win the trip because it involved visiting doTERRA's Sandalwood project in Hawai'i. It is fantastic to see these projects first-hand and learn directly from the experts about what is going on there. If you are new to doTERRA, you may not know much about how doTERRA sources oils and what they do in the communities where they source oils. But, it is one of the BEST things about this company. They take such care in sourcing, and give back so much to the communities they work with. They call their approach "Co-Impact Sourcing," and I hope my experience helps you understand what it means to the people doTERRA serves in this way.
A Short History of Hawaiian Sandalwood ('Iliahi)
The islands of Hawai'i were discovered by James Cook in 1778. At that time, the higher elevations of the Big Island were richly cloaked with native hardwood forests, populated with Sandalwood ('iliahi), Koa (used in canoe making, musical instruments, furniture and other woodworking), Naio, and many more species. Once contact with the outside world was established, a roaring trade with China sprang up, fueled in particular by the demand for Sandalwood. The upland forests were decimated by this demand; in fact, the years 1790 - 1840 became known as "The Sandalwood Era." The monarch was obsessed with obtaining ships, guns, and other foreign goods, and it was all funded by Sandalwood. There are many first-hand accounts from the time that describe native people neglecting their fishing and crops to harvest sandalwood from the mountainous regions in order to pay the taxes the King demanded. As the moisture-collecting forest disappeared, drought and famine descended upon the island.
The Conservation Project
The need for conservation was recognized as early as 1846, but advice was not heeded. The forest lands became overgrazed ranches where cattle grazed along with feral goats and pigs. Rats ate the seeds of the trees, and the larger animals ate the tender shoots that were able to germinate. The forest has not been able to prevail over these challenges, so reforestation depends on human intervention.
doTERRA started offering Hawaian Sandalwood around 2013, using ancient tree trunks that had been left in the ground by previous harvesters, often lifting them out of the wild landscape by helicopter. As they worked in Hawai'i, they quickly learned of the urgent need for conservation. In 2018, they had the opportunity to purchase nearly 10,000 acres of land in a precious area called Kealakekua: "The Path of the Gods." Their intention is to restore this land to a vibrant mixed forest of native plants. In this, they actively work with the Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife as well as with the native people of Hawai'i who are restoring the language and culture of Hawai'i. All of their work is infused with respect for the land and the indigenous people of Hawai'i.
Seeing this operation in action was my dream!
The first thing doTERRA did was build a nursery where foresters collect and germinate native seeds, bring them to sapling size, and then plant them in their natural habitat. Finding seeds was the very first challenge, because so few of the Sandalwood and other native trees were available. In the 5 years since the purchase, however, they have been able to collect most of the seeds they need from the actual property Protecting the seeds and very young plants from rats was the next challenge. They built cages for the plants, to keep the rats out until the plants are too big to interest the rats. As the plants grow, they are protected from full sun by a roof, and watered. Then they are moved into full sun to "harden off" and prepare for the conditions they will experience in their planting area. This larger area is fenced off to keep larger grazing animals from feasting on the tender plants.
While the plants are growing, the foresters are busy preparing a planting area. Because of all the feral animals, they must fence off the planting areas, and the fence must be strong enough and high enough to keep out sheep, goats, cattle and pigs. Once the area is fenced and they are sure no animals remain inside, they are able to gouge holes in the ground where the native saplings will be planted. The ground is underpinned by lava, so it is VERY irregular with just a thin layer of soil. All of this preparation is extremely challenging!
Planting and Growing 'Iliahi
The 'Iliahi tree is a semi-parasitic tree, which means that it needs a "host" tree to survive. The host tree is not harmed by the relationship; it just provides nourishment that the 'Iliahi tree needs to thrive. While the Koa tree is perhaps the most common host tree, Naio and several other species are also good hosts. All of the host species are grown and nurtured in the nursery.
The "Iliahi sapling is planted about 3 feet away from its host sapling. A tree's root system extends about the same distance as its height, so by the time it is 3 feet tall, the host tree's roots will start to mingle with the 'Iliahi roots, and the 'Iliahi tree will then really start to thrive. It takes up to 40 years for the 'Iliahi tree to reach maturity.
A forest has many more species than its canopy trees, of course. So, once the larger canopy trees are established, the foresters add other native species that will intermingle to re-create rich tapestry of life that was once the proud mantle of these mountains.
The reforestation project is the largest project of this kind ever undertaken in Hawai'i.
Learn more about native Hawaiian plants
here.
Co-Impact Sourcing
As has happened to First Nations all over the world, authorities mistakenly thought that assimilation would be the best way forward for native Hawaiians. Children were eduated in English, and cultural practices were supressed. Many people of those generations came to feel embarrassed or ashamed of their heritage. As a result, the cultural birthrights of Hawai'i were very nearly lost.
Luckily, there were individuals who kept the language and culture alive, and they have been able to establish schools that teach the language, cuisine, ceremonies and other cultural practices of Hawai'i. If you would like to learn more about (and support) these activities, please visit
Hiki Ola and follow them on social media.
The flora of Hawai'i are deeply embedded in Hawai'i culture, and doTERRA is completely committed to honouring this heritage as they work to restore the forest. One way that they do this is by supporting the Hula Schools, and another way is by incorporating traditional ceremonies into the work on the Kealakekua Forest Reserve.
On this trip, all the participants were brought to a local Hula School for a day of service. We painted, gardened, sanded and landscaped. With over 100 people working on various projects on the property, the place was cleaned up and transformed in just a few hours.
The leader of the school spoke to us about how much doTERRA's support means to the community they are leading. In advance of our arrival, the director of doTERRA's Co-Impact Sourcing program had asked them what they needed most. Their greatest wish was for a covered pavilion at the school, where they could teach and practice hula and ceremonies. The pavilion had been completed before we arrived, and one of our tasks was to sand the floor so that no one would get splinters from it. Large tree trunks for the pavilion had been brought down from the Kealakekua Forest Reserve to add beauty, connection and extra significance to the structure.
Another way that doTERRA is honouring the traditions of Hawai'i is simple, but very profound. They are re-labeling the essential oil with its traditional Hawai'i name: 'Iliahi. So, next time you order a bottle from the US Warehouse, you will see this name change on the label. This simple change has been received with great gratitude by the native people of Hawai'i. The recognition of their cultural heritage and language is extremely important to them.
This video helps explain the impact the project is having on the local people.
Distilling Sandalwood
I had a chance to ask a lot of questions at the distillery, and this is what I learned.
It takes up to 40 years for a Sandalwood tree to grow to maturity, and dōTERRA only harvests trees that are 80% dead already. Since the trees are endangered, it's important to know that no healthy trees are taken!
Each year, about 250 Sandalwood trees are harvested from the forest, while 3,000 trees of the same species are planted.
The wood must be de-barked, cut into manageable lengths, and then left in a covered space to dry for at least a year.
Once the wood is dry, it is chipped up and then loaded into a stainless steel still (shown above). Water is heated to create steam which is forced into the pressurized chamber, and the distillation begins. I was surprised to learn that the distillation runs for 14 days, because I have never heard of it taking so long. However, that's just how it is with Sandalwood essential oil.
Once the oil has been separated from the wood, the spent wood chips are unloaded and taken to a business that grows shiitake mushrooms, as the wood chips offer a perfect growing medium for the mushrooms. Once they have been used for that, they are then taken to farms and plowed into the ground to add nutrients to the soil. It's a zero-waste operation!
You may be wondering about the water that is heated to produce steam. There are no water sources in those high elevations. So, clean water is pumped several miles from the nearest town. The pipe is clearly visible beside the road as you wind your way up the mountain.
'Iliahi is available as a single oil from dōTERRA, and is also part of a beautiful blend called Mālama (the nuturing blend). dōTERRA also distills some Naio wood at this distillery, but it is not available as a single oil. It is only found in the the blend Mālama.
Click here if you would like to purchase either of these oils!
Visiting the Kealakekua Forest Reserve
Do you wish that you could visit the Kealakekua Forest Reserve too? We were assured that dōTERRA wants more people to see this operation. If you are going to be in the area (near Kona, on the "Big Island" of Hawai'i), it may be possible to go. You do not want to drive there yourself, trust me... the road is extremely rough and there are secure gates that will need to be opened for you. Advance planning is absolutely necessary. Contact dōTERRA directly, well in advance of your travel dates.