Frankincense Future Dim As Boswellia Tree Populations Rapidly Decline, Study Says

Bad news for the three wise men: The future of frankincense production doesn't look promising.

A study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology suggests that Boswellia populations, trees from which frankincense is harvested, are declining at such a rapid rate that the production of the aromatic resin will be reduced by half in about 15 years.

Researchers say the rapid decline of Boswellia populations can be attributed to a number of things:

Many populations of B. papyrifera are threatened by conversion into agricultural land and present a hump-shaped population distribution, dominated by small seedlings and adult trees but lacking the sapling and treelet stages. This gap in the population structure may be caused by the low production and viability of seeds of tapped trees, recurrent droughts, increased fire frequency, uncontrolled livestock grazing or a combination of all of these.

Scientists are fairly confident that tapping trees to harvest resin is not to blame for the population's degeneration.

"Frankincense extraction is unlikely to be the main cause of population decline, which is likely to be caused by burning, grazing and attack by the longhorn beetle, which lays its eggs under the bark of the tree," said study researcher Frans Bongers, according to LiveScience.

Ten types of Boswellia trees are currently on the Red List of Threatened Species, Scientific American points out.

Researchers suggest better forest management is the key to restoring Boswellia populations in order to continue frankincense production in the future.

Flickr photo courtesy of aleutia.

For more on the story, watch the video report below:

Comments

[UnderTheHedgeWeGo]

10:55 AM on 12/24/2011

We're DOOMED!

It's a sign of the Apocalypse and the end of the world in 2012!

[PlayTOE]

08:03 AM on 12/24/2011

Boswellia frereana is native to northern Somalia so the 3 eastern wise men of biblical fame have a rather twisted path to bring it to Bethlehem.

I point to another god, Osiris of ancient Egypt. He was heralded by the star Sirius, which marked the Nile flood. The three belt stars of Orion point to and precede the rising of Sirius. These coincide with the monsoon of Africa and let sap run in the Boswellia frereana, and commiphora myrrha trees, and also washed more gold out in mountain streams. Shipments of these luxury goods would then be transported to Egypt on the Nile flood.

[GraciePearl2007]

06:48 AM on 12/24/2011

Oh, this is such a shame! Frankincense has such a lovely aroma - I use it in diffusers all over my house. Its great, I never come in the door, or move from one room to another, without catching a sweet whiff or two. The light, spicy scent is welcome anytime!

Its expensive now - I will have to save more so I can enjoy this wonderful aroma later - LOL!

[Genders]

08:44 PM on 12/23/2011

We don;'t need no stinkin regulation, right?

[Richard McRae]

12:49 PM on 12/23/2011

Well Myrrh seems to be safe, and the Catholic church has hoarded all the gold they can find for centuries, so I guess 2 out of 3 isn't too bad.

[CognitoErgoSum]

12:32 AM on 12/23/2011

This is actually kinda a big deal, since boswellia extract is an anti-inflammatory for a number of conditions.

[messy]

06:40 PM on 12/22/2011

Unesco has declared Frankensense trees in Oman to be World Heritage and that should help protect them. What about the Myrrh?

[AntithiChrist]

08:40 PM on 12/22/2011

...don't worry so much about the Myrrh...

[TownCalledMalice]

11:14 PM on 12/23/2011

That doesn't sound very wise to me...

[lokitheviking]

11:38 PM on 12/22/2011

Just can't get good Myrrh these days. This synthetic crystal-myrrh in the clubs now is crap.

[CognitoErgoSum]

12:31 AM on 12/23/2011

Myrrh is used in a number of oral hygeine products sold in health food stores.

[merlinspinoza]

04:07 PM on 12/22/2011

article in health food store magazine says Frankencense cures asthma ...i recommended it to the catholic church hohoho [[[ culture it naturally in monastary gardens till its wildcrafted state is secure from us human predators]]]

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1010
http://www.endfatigue.com/store/products/supplements/pain-formula/ :{{{" .....In a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical study, Boswellia serrata produced a significant decrease in occasional pain and stiffness due to overuse.1 All the participants continued to take boswellia even after the completion of study....................
Fatigued to Fantastic! End Pain™ was designed with Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., recognized fatigue expert and author of From Fatigued to Fantastic!, Pain Free 1-2-3! and Three Steps To Happiness. }}}
http://www.raysahelian.com/boswellia.html
http://www.anandaapothecary.com/aromatherapy-essential-oils/frankincense-essential-oil.html

isnt life wonderful

[freedom1947]

05:11 PM on 12/22/2011

I like da smell.

[RedIvan88]

03:06 PM on 12/22/2011

Better start investing in frankincense

[graceaustin]

02:37 PM on 12/22/2011

Hopefully science is saving the genetics of the tree until sensible stewardship by humans is achieved, if we get that lucky.

[iLdoRight]

02:23 PM on 12/22/2011

Did someone say, "Frank was the worst of the Incense boys and that he is doing life without the possibility of parole?

[Cheyla]

12:35 PM on 12/22/2011

I'm afraid greed will never allow follow through with the recommendations. Maybe if we stopped perpetuating the christian myth about frankincense, then this would help reduce demand!

[WinstonOno]

01:15 PM on 12/22/2011

Frankincense is popular in ALL traditions! Muslim, Hindu, New Age...everything... not just Christian...

[keep it solid]

02:44 PM on 12/22/2011

True. Its popularity has spanned the ages and cultures.
Also the use of frankincense is not restricted to religious use. It is also used in perfumery, aromatherapy and is considered to have medicinal value.

[riff4u]

04:53 PM on 12/22/2011

Since frankincense is mostly harvested in Muslim countries the demand is highest there. However most of the farmers are poor and unable to acquire modern methods to save their tress.

[syntax facit saltum]

04:18 PM on 12/22/2011

Boswellia is a food supplement. There is a high demand by the vitamin and food supplement industry. It has anti-inflammatory and all sorts of really good properties. Do you really want to blame Christians for this?

[nightingale801]

12:34 AM on 12/22/2011

Nice video report and I appreciated some of the Hyperlinks. Lovely.

[MindfulOne]

12:33 AM on 12/22/2011

very sad ):