<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">Kudos to Ms. Stanton for asking
these questions and great to see MPWG member responses that are informative
and interesting!</font>
<br>
<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">I'd like to add some food for thought
when it comes to CITES and IUCN listings and what such listings (or lack
thereof) mean about the conservation status of a species. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">I should preface this by saying
that I am not trying to imply whether the species should or should not
be listed in CITES or IUCN, but just some ideas on ways of thinking about
what these designations imply (or don't imply) about the conservation status
of a species:</font>
<br>
<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">CITES:</font>
<ul>
<li><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">The role of a CITES listing is
to prevent over-exploitation of wild populations of species that are in
international trade. </font>
<li><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">An informative question would be
whether or not the species has ever been evaluated to be listed in CITES.
In the case of <i>Boswellia sacra</i>, the species was evaluated
in 1997 as part of a review of the CITES criteria (see: http://www.cites.org/eng/prog/criteria/1st_meeting/trees.shtml),
and it was concluded that the species did not qualify for inclusion in
either Appendix I or Appendix II of CITES. I also would ask, <i>why
did they decide it did not merit listing </i>(i.e., is most of the stuff
in trade being cultivated)? <i>Have the circumstances surrounding the use
and conservation of the species changed in the last 12 years? </i></font>
<li><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">It appears that no other species
of <i>Boswellia </i>have been evaluated for CITES listing. But, lack
of evaluation does not connote lack of conservation need - it just indicates
that the species have not been evaluated. The conservation status of the
species may be fine, or it may not be on the "radar" screen.</font></ul>
<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">IUCN:</font>
<ul>
<li><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">The on-line IUCN database (http://www.redlist.org/)
has 11 <i>Boswellia </i>entries, all Vulnerable and all seem to be threatened
by habitat issues (i.e., small area of extent).</font>
<li><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">I don't see <i>B. serrata</i> on
the list at all (perhaps it has a synonym?). However, the on-line IUCN
database is not complete; i.e., not all species have been evaluated. Therefore,
absence of species in the database does not connote absence of threat or
a secure status for the species.</font>
<li><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">A "Data Deficient" category
does not connote that the species is not at risk. It indicates there is
not enough information to evaluate the species against the current criteria.
And since there are not oodles of money laying around for assessments to
be conducted, most species lay in wait for a benevolent donor before they
get evaluated or they get evaluated in response to something that puts
the species on the radar screen (i.e., huge amounts of poaching). </font>
<li><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">Not all species that <u>have</u>
been evaluated by IUCN are in the on-line database--because the IUCN Red
List Criteria was changed (~in 2001) and not all species have been re-evaluated
against the new criteria. Because of this, it's good to take a look
at previous print versions of the Red List as well. A quick look at the
1997 Red List (Walter and Gillett 1998) shows only 4 <i>Boswellia</i> had
been evaluated at that time (B. nana=E; B. ogadensis=E; B. ovalifoliolata=I;
B. pirottae=R), but not <i>B. serrata</i>. Some of the info from
previous print versions are being incorporated into the on-line database
(which you can see in the History section under "Assessment Information"
in the species entry). </font></ul><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">
(Walter, K. S. and H. J. Gillett 1998.
1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland
and Cambridge, UK.)</font>
<ul>
<li><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">Another resource is the country-based
Red Lists; this information is not well coordinated with the on-line database
although the IUCN is working to address the situation. So, you might
actually find info in the country-based Red List that you wouldn't know
about if you just looked on-line. I'm not sure which of the African
countries that are range states to <i>Boswellia </i>species have country-based
Red Lists. But some of the country-based lists can be found on-line.</font></ul>
<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">As much as I rely on CITES and
IUCN to do my work, it's important to understand what "lack of listing"
does and does not mean, and that these two resources should not be the
end of your investigation into the conservation status of a species. Resources
such as those mentioned by Ms. Burgess and Ms. Flaster are excellent. You
might also be interested in looking at the International Standard for Sustainable
Wild Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ISSC-MAP) to learn more
about how different harvest practices might affect the status of the species...(www.floraweb.de/proxy/floraweb/map-pro/Standard_Version1_0.pdf).</font>
<br>
<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">Hopefully, these thoughts will
help as you research this or other species. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">Thanks,</font>
<br><font size=4 face="Times New Roman">Patricia </font>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.<br>
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority<br>
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group<br>
US Fish & Wildlife Service<br>
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110<br>
Arlington, VA 22203<br>
703-358-1708 x1753<br>
FAX: 703-358-2276<br>
<br>
Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants.<br>
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal><br>
</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td width=40%><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>"Isla Burgess"
<isla@herbcollege.com></b> </font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">12/17/2009 01:22 PM</font>
<td width=59%>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">To</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><sesherbs@aol.com>, <MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org></font>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">cc</font></div>
<td>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Subject</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Re: [MPWG] sustainable Boswellia?</font></table>
<br>
<table>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<td></table>
<br></table>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">Good Morning Susan,</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">Boswellia is not on a CITES
Listing and the IUCN has a ‘data deficient’ rating.</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">We do need to be concerned
about the conservation status of this herb.</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">I recently developed as part
of an MSc dissertation a Medicinal Plant Rapid Assessment Tool (MPRAT)
and am the interim convener for the International Research Group for the
Conservation of Medicinal Plants </font><a href=http://www.irgcmp.org/><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.irgcmp.org</u></font></a><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">
</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">We are hoping to attract funding
to apply the MPRAT to a range of medicinal plants available in over the
counter and practitioner products.</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">The website is in the early
stages of development but more information will be added over time.</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">I wish all buyers were asking
these questions.</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">Nga Mihi,</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">Isla</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">Isla Burgess (Interim Convenor
for IRGCMP)</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">Director</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">International College of Herbal
Medicine</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">18B Sirrah St</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">Wainui, Gisborne, New Zealand</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">#6468630048</font>
<br><font size=2 color=#000080 face="Arial">#6468630046 Fax</font>
<br><a href=http://www.herbcollege.com/><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.HerbCollege.com</u></font></a>
<br><a href=mailto:isla@HerbCollege.com><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>isla@HerbCollege.com</u></font></a>
<br><font size=3 color=#000080 face="Times New Roman"> </font>
<div align=center>
<br>
<hr></div>
<br><font size=2 face="Tahoma"><b>From:</b> mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>sesherbs@aol.com<b><br>
Sent:</b> Friday, 18 December 2009 3:07 a.m.<b><br>
To:</b> MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org<b><br>
Subject:</b> [MPWG] sustainable Boswellia?</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Hello-</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">I am a supplement retailer wondering whether
I should be concerned about sustainable harvesting of Boswellia serrata
that is sold in the US. Is the resin gathered from trees that are
cultivated for commercial use or is it gathered from wild trees? Is
there a way to "sustainably" harvest without threatening tree
populations? Are Boswellia trees threatened or endangered in some areas?
If anyone could please shed some light I would appreciate it greatly.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Sincerely, </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Susan Stanton</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Supplement Buyer </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Brattleboro Food Coop</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Brattleboro, VT</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><br>
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