Cid Botanicals' Statement

The destruction of our rainforests is real issue that deserves our attention.  The real issue is not that the world’s oxygen will be depleted and that the “lungs” of the Earth will wither.  The issue is that it is estimated that over 50% of the world’s plants and animal species are found in these forests.  The Amazon for instance contains the genetic and molecular information of millions of undiscovered different species, all unique and of unquestionable importance to us.  Here lies the potential for finding new cures and rediscovering old.

We see the Amazon as a sort of genetic library where the information of hundreds of millions of years of evolution have gathered together to form a complex, yet delicate ecosystem.  Hundreds of prescription medicines sold today come from plant derived sources.  Sometimes, these plants are so complex that they cannot be isolated and made synthetically.  Their true value is their whole food synergy and millions of years of evolution.  Mother Nature is by far the greatest formulator; she can develop complex molecular bonds and synergies that no scientist could ponder, replicate or mimic.

The rainforests of the world need to be preserved and methodically explored.   Not for their short-term economic value, as it is today, but for the plethora of information that is stored within this ecosystem.  The plant and animal species that live there can provide answers to some of our most troubling diseases.

This area must not be ignored, or worse allowed to be pillaged daily with losses that can never be recovered.  Likewise, natives to the region that hold information about plants should be revered like Nobel Laureates.  Every time one passes away so do thousands of years of plant knowledge and wisdom.

The real solution to the rainforest problem, and probably the only viable one, is for the multinational corporations, the financial community and private investors to rethink the value of the rainforest.  The problem of the rainforest is economic, and so is the solution.  For this to happen we need pioneers to invest in the rainforest and attract capital to offset the weight of its destruction versus its preservation.  We are a small company but we are proud to be a part of this new paradigm in viewing the rainforest and support all those who help preserve its biodiversity and the cultures that call it home.

Roberto F. Cid Jr.

Managing Director

Cid Botanicals