Frankincense

==Ecological status==
In 1998, the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] warned that one of the primary frankincense species, ''Boswellia sacra'', is "near threatened". Frankincense trees are not covered by the [[CITES|Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora]], but experts argue that ''Boswellia'' species meet the criteria for protection. In a 2006 study, an ecologist at [[Wageningen University & Research]] claimed that, by the late-1990s, ''Boswellia papyrifera'' trees in Eritrea were becoming hard to find. In 2019, a new paper predicted a 50% reduction in ''Boswellia papyrifera'' within the next two decades. This species, found mainly in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan, accounts for about two-thirds of global frankincense production. The paper warns that all ''Boswellia'' species are threatened by habitat loss and overexploitation. Most ''Boswellia'' grow in harsh, arid regions beset by poverty and conflict. Harvesting and selling the tree's resin is one of the only sources of income for the inhabitants, resulting in overtapping.<ref name="NG-20191213" />