Dying forests

    • AP
    • Publish Date: Jan 3 2017 11:58AM
    • |
    • Updated Date: Jan 3 2017 11:58AM
Dying forests

Over-tapping of Frankincense forests in Somaliland has led to the destruction of trees across the Cal Madow mountains. As a result, the trees are unable to recover for further produce even during the next season. Officials worry that the ancient trade of tapping could disappear...

Traditionally speaking 
In a tradition dating to biblical times, men rise at dawn in the rugged Cal Madow mountains of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa to scale rocky outcrops in search of the prized sap of wild frankincense trees. The Cal Madow mountains, which rise from the Gulf of Aden in sheer cliff faces, reaching over 8,000 feet (2,440 metres), are part of Somaliland, an autonomous republic in Somalia's northwest. 

The method
Bracing against high winds, men climb the tree with their feet wrapped in cloth to protect against the sticky resin. With a metal scraper, they chip off the bark and the tree's sap bleeds into the salty air. 
When dried and burned, the sap produces fragrant smoke which perfumes churches and mosques around the world. Once the resin is collected, women sort the chunks by colour and size. The various classes of resin are shipped to Yemen, Saudi Arabia and eventually Europe and America. Besides its use as incense, the gum is distilled into oil for use in perfumes, skin lotions, medicine and chewing gum.

The problem
But now these last intact wild frankincense forests on Earth are under threat as prices have shot up in recent years with the global demand for essential oils. Overharvesting has led to the trees dying off faster than they can replenish, putting the ancient resin trade at risk. 
In the last six years, prices for raw frankincense have shot up from around $1 per kg to $5 to $7.

The risk
Harvesting frankincense is risky. The trees can grow high on cliff edges, shallow roots gripping bare rock slithering with venomous snakes. Harvesters often slip and tumble down canyon walls.
The rise in demand is the result of stronger marketing in the essential oils industry.  The dwindling supply of high-quality resin, and competition between exporters, are also factors. Now over-tapping is destroying the trees across the Cal Madow, as tappers try to extract as much sap as possible and make too many cuts per tree. 

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Comments

Suraj THE NEW CAMBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

The dying of forest is only because of humans always cutting the tree for building, apartment and houses and we should stop cutting trees.

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