Centro Medicina da Floresta (Forest Medicine Center, CMF) is a medical center and laboratory located in a small community in the Purus National Forest, deep the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Founded in 1989 by Maria Alice Campos Freire with a group of local women and youth, CMF was created to preserve and expand the forest people’s traditional knowledge of local plant medicines by safeguarding and cultivating the native flora of the rainforest.Today CMF works with approximately 500 plant species, both cultivated and native, and maintains an herb garden with around 350 species. CMF has registered over 200 medicinal formulas for teas, tinctures, pastes, scented compresses and incense, activated compounds, flower essences, baths, insect repellents, ointments and emulsions.

CMF emphasizes environmental conservation and reforestation by cultivating native plant species for re-planting in degraded forest areas, and by promoting the conscious usage of locally-available materials for medicine, food, building, water usage, recycling, waste reduction, composting and green fertilization.

During the past 21 years CMF has strongly emphasized environmental education and training, offering programs for local youth and children, as well as to visitors. Many of the youngsters have been motivated by their time at CMF to seek other levels of training and today are studying at various Brazilian universities pursuing degrees in Biology, Botany, Environmental Management, Forest Engineering and Agronomy. Most of them credit CMF-School for giving them the strength to take this step forward, and hope to participate in building the Center’s future as graduated professionals. Floresta Project is currently raising funds to build a new CMF laboratory facility using green design principals and materials. This new building will meet the growing needs of the local community for natural medicines, aid in the expansion of the educational programs, and support one of the most successful and sustainable businesses in the community.