The BBC Future article on the decline of frankincense highlights a surprising and serious sustainability issue that goes beyond the usual stories about plastics or carbon emissions. Frankincense comes from Boswellia trees in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and for thousands of years people have harvested its resin for incense, medicine, and cultural rituals. Today demand has expanded dramatically as it has become a favoured ingredient in wellness products and spiritual practices around the world. This increased appetite is putting intense pressure on the very trees that produce it. 

What makes this situation particularly concerning is how slow the trees are to recover when over-tapped. Traditional resin tapping was done carefully and sustainably. In recent years, economic pressure and weak regulation have encouraged excessive tapping that damages the trees and undermines their natural regeneration. In parts of Ethiopia and Sudan researchers have found that many populations of Boswellia lack young trees, suggesting that the species may not be replacing itself.

There's also a human side of the story. Many harvesters depend on frankincense for their livelihoods, yet they capture a small share of the value created by global markets. As supply becomes scarcer, the challenge will be finding ways to protect both the trees and the communities that rely on them. 

This article serves as a powerful reminder that even products with ancient roots can face modern threats, and that sustainability must include ecological and economic balance.