The coveted, woody scent of Australian sandalwood is driving deforestation, threatening the very existence of this iconic tree.
What's happening?
For over a century, Australian sandalwood has been declining partly due to its tantalizing scent within fragrances. As relayed by the Conversation, researchers have found that demand has decreased its population by about 90%. Other factors like clearing, fire, and grazing by invasive species are compounding its extinction and have led to virtually no new sandalwood trees cropping up for 60-100 years.
"We have less sandalwood in the wild than probably ever in its evolutionary history," Professor Kingsley Dixon, a botanical specialist at Curtin University, told the Guardian.
There are two reasons for sandalwood not regrowing: the extinction of smaller marsupials, which have always been seed dispersers for the plant, and changing weather patterns that have halted rainfall conditions in Australia necessary for germinating sandalwood's seeds.
Why is sandalwood's extinction worrying?
Without sandalwood, ecological degradation is a certainty. The disappearance of sandalwood will deny food to numerous species and, in turn, humans. The tree is also crucial to preserving soil health as it creates fertile ground and can transfer water and nutrients to other plants through its roots. This symbiotic relationship supports other trees' growth, so as sandalwood deteriorates, so will other plants.
Its degradation is further impacting human communities that have been benefiting from sandalwood for thousands of years. Many cultures use sandalwood as a food and healing source. It is also considered sacred to many religions. Losing a sense of cultural identity is a rising trend brought on by the changing climate.
The plant is also vital to medicine. Its medicinal properties are anti-inflammatory, allowing sandalwood oil to provide value in acne and skin irritation products. Other discoveries have shown that sandalwood has anticancer properties, as it can arrest cancerous cell regeneration.
What can we do to preserve sandalwood?
Advocates are urging the Western Australian government to only allow harvest from sandalwood plantations — which have been key in conserving thousands of hectares of the plant.
Plantations are crucial for preservation, but scientists are mostly worried about the regrowth of the trees in the wild. Researchers have been advocating to protect wild sandalwood, recently asking the federal Threatened Species Scientific Committee to consider it for protection under national environmental laws. In October, the committee recommended protecting wild sandalwood to Australia's environmental minister, Tanya Plibersek. The government is now assessing the landscape until 2026.
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Meanwhile, scientists urge consumers to be mindful of where their sandalwood is sourced from.
"Plantation-grown products are readily available and just as sweet-smelling," according to The Conversation. "Your support will help the industry transition away from wild-harvested plants that need all the help they can get."
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