Workshop on reforestation and sustainable use of the dry forests of Manabí

Approximately 100 merchants, artisans, transporters and executors of Ecuadorian products gathered at the Portoviejo Museum. These products are derived from the different sticks or dry trees found in the province of Manabí.

The muyuyo, the bamboo cane, the piquigua, the gauyacán and the palo santo are species of trees and shrubs that grow in these dry forests. These dry forests are not synonymous with dead forests, on the contrary, in these areas grow plantations that help the bioeconomy through the Ministry of Environment.

The objective of the MAE is to promote the products derived from these trees through the bioeconomy or ecological economy, which is an economy that not only takes into account profits and productivity, but also the natural resources that are essential for life . From here, the objective of the MAE with all the people who attended the talk, is to achieve sustainable socioeconomic development, through the efficient use of these dry forests.

In the workshop on harvesting standards, management of non-timber resources and by-products, the speaker Dolly Muñoz, representative of the Ministry of the Environment spoke on very important issues, among them: defend dry forests and ensure the regeneration of their biodiversity, focus production and consumption on the local and reach export to other countries, act collectively among craftspeople and manabite producers, use renewable resources and promote education where everyone participates in these projects.

In the case of the Palo Santo tree, it meets all these requirements, and currently has an Integrated Management Plan or PMI where actions are established to prevent, control and correct environmental impacts. This project is done in Jipijapa, Joa commune, where 5,000 Palo Santo trees have been reforested, which are given a sustainable management. Currently this field has been taken as a pilot to replicate it in other places of Manabí where there is Palo Santo.

In the workshop, the official delivery of documentation was made to the Provincial Director of the Ministry of the Environment in Manabí, Eng. Vicente Zavala, to declare the 50 hectares of Palo Santo in Joa as a protective forest. The Engineer in the environmental dialogue, responded with respect to the initiative:

"I am happy because it aligns with government policies, its an initiative that we are going to support because we see the interest of the company; and social and environmental responsibility with the company, the area and the country. Today they made the formal request for the declaration of the forest, we will submit to the technical analysis, waiting for a favorable response. "

In the program Reverdecer Ecuador of the MAE, there is the participation of more local actors, among them Fausto Avilés who is involved in the product of the bamboo cane, he has his hectares in the canton Olmedo. Also Fabián Moreno who is the coordinator of the Bambú project, which has its farms in some sectors of Manabí and Piura, in order to promote the sustainable use of this plant.

In this way, Sustainable Cities and a Manabi are formed as a producing province.

We’ve been contacted by customers and friends wanting to take part in this ecological action. The best ways is purchasing products made of naturally dead palo santo bursera graveolens. Nevertheless, many want to donate to support this project. WELCOME!

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