Kaohsiung’s Liouguei District is rich in natural resources, and its unique geographical environment and climate are suitable for the growth of many fragrant plants. In the early days, it was an important area for gathering and refining camphor, but the industry faded over time. In order to revive the essential oil industry and search for new scents in Liouguei, the Pingtung Branch of the Forest and Nature Conservation Agency and the NPUST Department of Wood Science and Design have teamed up to put together a promotional achievements exhibition, entitled “The Scents of the Mountains”. At the exhibition, they released two new products. One is an Eco-Friendly Camphor Tree Essential Oil Spray, and the second is an Eco-Friendly Maple Essential Oil Spray. The essential oils are extracted from camphor leaves and maple leaves without harming the trees or the forest environment.
The two parties also developed an essential oil extraction machine that improves the efficiency of essential oil production. Unlike typical extraction machines, which need to cool down each time before replacing materials, their new design allows for the continuous feeding in of new raw materials. At the achievement exhibition, the two parties announced that they would guide local farmers to establish a local “Agricultural and Forestry Industry Production Cooperative Preparatory Office”. In the future, a local cooperative can be established to support the recovery of the local essential oils industry. The exhibition, which was organized though the joint efforts of the Pingtung Branch of the Forest and Nature Conservation Agency, the NPUST Department of Wood Science and Design, Can June International Inc., and local farmers is being held at Ikeda House in Kaohsiung’s Liouguei District from now (April 20) until April 30, 2024.
