Abstract
Awareness of the need for ethical sourcing and the ‘triple bottom line’ goals (social responsibility, environmental sustainability and economic viability) is growing. Yet while demand increases, wild populations of many gum and resin sources are in decline. Compared to growing fast-growing crops, economically viable production of tree species in agroforestry systems or plantations can be challenging, particularly in the dry woodlands and shrublands that are sources of frankincense and myrrh. In higher rainfall areas, cultivation has been successful in the case of Aquilaria and Shorea javanica. In arid and semi-arid areas, large-scale cultivation can be a mirage, distracting attention from what is needed most: ‘growing the wild’ through wise management, better monitoring, fair prices and local community involvement. In this chapter, I examine some of the major challenges preventing sustainable use of gum and resin resources, and discuss how these challenges can be confronted.