202403/05
The Taitung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA) is actively developing diverse forest resources beyond timber to promote the revitalization of the domestic timber industry and maximize the utilization of resources. This effort aims to enhance the value of Taiwan’s forest products. Following the launch of the first “Forest Whispers - Japanese Cedar” essential oil product in December 2022, on March 5, 2024 (Tuesday) at 2 p.m., the “Forest Whispers - Taiwan Red Cypress, Cryptomeria-like Taiwania, and Taiwan Incense Cedar” series of essential oil products were officially presented at plantārium in Taipei. This event combined local elements and involved the collaboration with forest owners, lumberjacks, and essential oil businesses such as GRANGE Taiwan, and mountain tribal village farms, aiming to develop a distinctive local essential oil industry and open up a new chapter in the revitalization of the green economy in mountain villages.
To improve Taiwan’s self-sufficiency rate of domestic timber, the FANCA declared 2017 as the “Year of Domestic Timber.” The Taitung Branch has further emphasized “full wood utilization” and the “circular economy,” supporting forest owners in afforestation areas and lumberjacks to provide land leasing, pruning, and reuse of residual branches. They have also facilitated partnerships with GRANGE to acquire raw materials, collaborating with farms in mountain villages and tribal communities for research and development. Together, they launched three essential oils under the “Forest Whispers - Taiwan Red Cypress, Cryptomeria-like Taiwania, and Taiwan Incense Cedar” product series. The raw materials for these three oils are sourced from afforested areas in the Beinan region and artificially logged areas in the Jinping area of Taitung, creating a distinct “forest scent” characteristic of Taitung. This initiative not only allows everyone to share the diverse value of forests, but also contributes to sustainable forest resource management and the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The product launch event invited local forest owners from Taitung and partners from the Taromak tribe to share their cooperation experiences and achievements.
The “Forest Whispers” series of products has four main features. First, it utilizes Taitung’s plant extracts, meaning the entire process from raw material supply, extraction, to production is completed locally, linking the essential oil raw material industry and creating local employment opportunities while reducing carbon footprints. Second, it incorporates “full wood utilization,” effectively using branches and leaves that were previously underutilized after artificial logging, thereby creating and enhancing the diverse economic value of forest resources. Third, it uses plant-based materials throughout, without synthetic fragrances, artificial colors, silicones, or petrochemical derivatives. After extraction, the leftover branches and leaves are returned to the farms as cultivation materials, achieving the goals of recycling and resource sustainability. Fourth, to better understand the relationship between scents, the Taitung Branch also invited Professor Wang Chih-Chiang from National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) to participate. This collaboration aims to establish a forest scent database through Government-Industry-University collaboration. The database will collect and record “forest landscape scents” data, and with key scent information, it will be able to remind people about forest scent memories.
The “Forest Whispers” series of products includes shampoo, shower gel, single essential oils, blended essential oils, diffuser bottles, and essential oil candles. According to analysis data, the Taiwan Red Cypress can relieve stress and tension, and has air purifying qualities. The Cryptomeria-like Taiwania and Taiwan Incense Cedar also have calming benefits and harmonize well with ambient scents. The Taitung Branch of the FANCA and GRANGE have leveraged the advantages of tree species, blended the characteristics of native conifers, and translated scents to recreate the atmosphere of mountain and forest landscapes. The series of products will officially be available on GRANGE’s website in April, allowing people to instantly immerse themselves in the healing forest environment at home.