Plenty of Gold and Myrrh — But Frankincense Could Be Going Extinct
- Posted on December 25, 2011 at 6:02am by
Liz Klimas
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Perhaps best known as one of the three gifts presented to Jesus after his birth by the magi, Frankincense could be going extinct.
Researchers studying the Boswellia papyrifera tree, from which the resin used in incense and perfumes comes, found that as many as 7 percent of the trees in Ethiopia are dying each year with low viability of seeds becoming sapling trees.
USA Today reports the Dutch and Ethiopian researchers as saying if this rate continues, the tree population could be halved in 15 years and down 90 percent by 2050.
USA Today reports Frans Bongers, a professor of tropical forest ecology and management at the University of Wageningen in Holland, as saying that while some of the trees still exist in the Middle East and Somalia many are gone and Ethiopia is the main producer.
“Current management of Boswellia populations is clearly unsustainable,” Bongers said to Live Science. “Our models show that within 50 years, populations of Boswellia will be decimated, and the declining populations mean frankincense production is doomed. This is a rather alarming message for the incense industry and conservation organizations.”
The research, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, attributes the decline not to over-harvesting but fire, beetles and grazing. USA Today reports that the Ethiopian government has pushed some of the population to move into areas where the trees subsequently grow. It also notes that private companies now harvest the trees — before companies were government-controlled — which has resulted in more tree tapping. USA Today states that tapping trees heavily could weaken them and make them more susceptible to beetle infestation.
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Comments (59)
RisetovotesiR
Posted on December 26, 2011 at 2:38amYou can get this stuff in Baltimore for $5 a piece. What is the big deal?
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on December 26, 2011 at 7:24amQUICK !
Commission a Congressional study and throw 15MILLION DOLLARS at it!
That’ll cure the trees!
Or, we could just forward this article to the perfume manufacturers, who will want to guarantee their supply, and will plant and manage more trees.
RESTORING LOVE , July 26 27 28 , Dallas, TX
LINK UP NOW !! http://www.meetup.com/MercuryOneHQ
Do you GBTV?
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:08amI find this kind of thing insanely funny.
There isn’t a single scientific discipline that does NOT deny the existence of God and still have 100% faith in Darwin, but still they can‘t accept that man doesn’t hold the keys to creation or extinction.
What predicament. What a paradox. What a shame.
Report Post »voxoffreedom
Posted on December 26, 2011 at 12:11amYeah I think MOODTD01 is kidding…. On another note I like my Tea on ice, shaken not stirred.
Report Post »2theADDLED
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 10:31pmAnd it’s illegal for Gibson to use wood cut illegally. I wonder have they built any guitars with this wood ?
Report Post »RisetovotesiR
Posted on December 26, 2011 at 5:03amFender!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »flatbroke
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 9:41pmwhaaaaat? no more frankensense? dang it! this just ruins everything.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on December 26, 2011 at 7:22amLol
Report Post »Dom321
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 5:31pmNow… Who was the bored to death person who thought: Lets get the sap from that tree, dry it and burn it to see how it smells…
Report Post »royrescue
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:10pmI wounder if they were cold and started a fire to keep warm? and then the smell was so pleasant they decided to investigate the source of the pleasant smell! just thinking it might be an accident! they did have alot of time on their hands in the past!
Report Post »Gorp
Posted on December 26, 2011 at 3:27amIt also makes me wonder who the Norwegian was who first said, “Hey! Let’s take a perfectly good piece of Cod and soak it in Lye for a few days then boil it until it turns like jelly and eat it! Doesn’t that sound like a great meal?”
Anybody constipated?
Report Post »ARMED AND READY
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 3:27pmThis is a problem for…..
Report Post »ALL4FREEDOM
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:54pmSTUPID MAN! (Don’t worry…the UN is on this for sure!)
Report Post »Roros
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 2:18pmCould it also be lack of faith around our planet?.
Report Post »Badler
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 12:53amI was thinking that too. The good things are drying up as the new dark ages rise.
/or maybe not
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 1:26pmRarity = Value!
Report Post »Gumbercules
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 10:50pmNobody can crap like I can . . . Does that make it valuable? It sure is rare.
Report Post »OhioRifleman
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 12:51pm@ Gumbercules
Competition is the driving force of prices. Oversaturation of the market from Eric ‘my sj1t don’t stink’ Holder is driving world fecal prices down. Looks like you’ll need a bailout for your bum.
Report Post »cranberry
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 12:58pmWonder if there is an area in the USA that can grow this tree, perhaps California or Arizona? Would be nice to find out.
Report Post »DeltaHawk
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 12:38pmMacPappy,
God created man to glorify Himself! , We haven’t done a very good job of it.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 4:27pmGod created the Universe, and it was so beautiful, it was glorious. so then He created Man, because it was no fun having a party if He was the only one there.
think about it.
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 5:39pmDon’t worry about the frankincense.
God has STOREHOUSES FULL of every sort of nectar, resins, oils, etc.
The most precious being, of course, the Fruit of the Tree of Life, which he has sequestered in a special area.
Report Post »flyboy7600
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:36amDid anyone notice the second sentence of the last paragraph? “It also notes that private companies now harvest the trees — before companies were government-controlled — which has resulted in more tree tapping.” The socialist message is everywhere even here on the Blaze. Sad, very sad….
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:42amIF that is what the article said it‘s NOT the BLAZE’S comment but the comment of the author..
Report Post »flyboy7600
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 12:08pmI must apologize, it was not my intent to imply that that was the position of The Blaze. Just that it was put it with no comment on the obvious pro socialism slant.
Report Post »bjtheskier
Posted on December 26, 2011 at 1:06amit‘s neither the blaze’s comment nor is it a socialist comment. it’s just the tragedy of the commons. since it’s public land anyone can do whatever they want with it. if it‘s government restricted land they can’t.
Report Post »jespasinthru
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:05amI feel an idea coming on. I think I’ll go to J.L. Hudson‘s website and see if he’s got any of those seeds. He likes to collect and distribute plant seeds that are facing extinction, so that gardeners can domesticate them and keep the species alive. And they ought to grow pretty well here in Florida.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 10:57amyears ago we bought a small hide box full of myrrh and frankincense, gorgeous smell! we learned they were both used for millenias of generations for treating the women with her afterbirth care. makes sense, doesn’t it! ..back then what a sensible, medical, and expensive gift for a young mother from the Magi !!
Report Post »ConservativeCharlie
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 12:02pmThat is very interesting, but seeing how we are coming up on 2012 and its the last christmas on earth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Jja7-lTzk It kind of makes sense that we would run out. Side note, I have a cat named Merh.
Report Post »wub
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 10:28amDon’t think if you bring them to the US the tree will produce the same quality scent. Perhaps, the tree may not grow on the US soil at all.
Report Post »smokeysmoke
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:00amI always worry about introducing new species into an ecosystem that could become invasive over the next 40 years…
Report Post »jespasinthru
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:14amYeah, and Florida is full of stuff like that. Like giant gator-eating snake monsters, kudzu-like vine monsters, and walking catfish that taste like swamp mud. Just to name a few.
Report Post »becauseitmatters
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 12:33pmDon’t forget those pesty “Love bugs”…And once I heard of a team of scientists who wanted to move the endangered animals from Africa over to the midwest to save them. Yeah, things like tigers, lions, etc. Yup, those scientists are soooo bright, and we should listen to them.
I think God just sits up there and laughs at our stupidity sometimes.
Report Post »aircommando
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 1:33pmUnder the proper conditions it will grow anywhere. Seeds are not needed, clone the plant and grow millions of them every year.
Report Post »I don’t worry about Love Bugs, they wash off, but would someone please do something about the blasted Fire Ants.
mac410
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 9:54amWonder why they left global warming out? I‘m guessing the story will be modified to include it as soon as The Messiah’s media puppets have it called to their attention.
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 10:10amEasy solution…bring them over here…Florida..California..and Arizona could easily sustain them..They have pecan orchards..so they could have these orchards…no problem
Report Post »John 3:16
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 9:52amGOD will care for his creation reguardless of what man does.Creation was made by GOD for GOD.
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 10:17amthen why did he create man? I thought the earth was created by God, for man.
Report Post »becauseitmatters
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 12:34pmWe were made to glorify and worship Him.
Report Post »READRIGHTHERE
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 7:26pmIts a nice sentiment from the perspective of the worshiper, but do you really envision God as one who craves adoration so much that he would create us and place us here, fully knowing the despair, trial, pain, horror, sadness and tribulations we would go through just so that He could hear His name praised? Did God so love the world that he sent His Only Begotten son to give us an eternal life of praising him. I beg to differ, His purposes must be higher than that. Our purposes must be more profound then eternal genuflection, even if, in our humility and gratitude we could envision ourselves doing so. Merry Christmas everyone.
The Good News is, there is a plan, and the designs of our creator will prevail over the designs of the Adversary.
Report Post »hallkbrdz
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 9:52amThere’s a market for Frankincense?
Must not be much of one, since they are doing such a poor job of maintaining the trees that produce it. That – or the artificial Frankincense smells the same, and costs much less and is squeezing out the real thing.
Not exactly on my top 10 worries in the world, sorry.
Report Post »BobtheMoron
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 9:08amMy first thought was, “That’s terrible.” My second thought was, “Where is the climate that one could farm these trees?” Third thought was, “Probably need to buy, at least, a thousand acres or, perhaps, a consortium of local landowners with that much land.” Then I thought, “Trees centered on 15 feet would put thousands of trees on a thousand acres even after leaving room for equipment buildings and processing.” Can’t help thinking in an entreprenurial manner, even though at my age I’m not likely to start another business.
Report Post »ares338
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 8:01amThat dang Global Warming!
Report Post »ZomBrad
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 7:44amToss fines at beetles, and ARREST fire!!!!!! They’re harming the fragile ecosystem!
Report Post »Stuck_in_CA
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 7:50amWe Know More About Jesus‘s Birth Than Obama’s By Jack Cashill
Report Post »http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/12/we_know_more_about_jesuss_birth_than_obamas.html#ixzz1hY6F6nvC
Link8on
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 8:24amThe progressive agenda Messaih !
Report Post »Lost In Space
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 7:30amWow, that sounds like a good buisness oppurtunity, Im sure its illegal on many different levels, anything that makes a profit or money in this country is immoral, unless you are part of the ruling elite ar hollyweird left or ruling democratic apparatchik. Anyone but Obama (barry) 2012.
Report Post »grannyrecipe
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 7:08amOK then, to some rich guys out there, find some people who know how to farm trees, buy some saplings and find the appropriate place to raise them in the US…oh no, here comes Obama with the EPA in tow. Forget about it.
Report Post »quicker
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 6:56amMerry Christmas everyone.And a special Blesed and Merry Cristmas to our troops that are not home with their familys at this time of year.And may God bless them and their familys.God bless you all from Texas.
Report Post »saigonpaul
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 6:40amMaybe we should plant one in the WHITE HOUSE garden, then MICHELL could be proud of it, since its going …………….. EXTINCT
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 6:54amJust like her husband intends to make our Republic extinct.
Report Post »moodtd01
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 6:14amThey should call up the EPA, they will protect the trees. The EPA is your friend.
Report Post »338lapua
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 10:09am(eyes spinning around in a cartoonish fashion) Yes the EPA is my friend, can I have some more kool-aid?
Report Post »jespasinthru
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:07amI think MoodTD01 was being sarcastic. At least I certainly hope so.
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