LANSAN TREE
Common Name: Lansan Tree, Bois L’Encens
Scientific Name: Protium attenuatum
Conservation Status: Data Deficient
Introduction
The Lansan Tree is endemic to the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, in the Eastern Caribbean. The species has reportedly been depleted across most of its restricted range. Protium attenuatum produces an aromatic resin that is used as incense in churches and household shrines
Why is this species important?
In Saint Lucia, where the tree is still relatively abundant, resin from the tree is collected and sold by full time, occasional and opportunistic resin tappers. More than 60% of Saint Lucians report using lansan resin, and tapping resin continues to be an important source of income for many households. The tree is also ecologically important, as a major component of the rainforest. Its fleshy fruits provide food for pigeons and other wildlife.
Where is it found?
The Lansan Tree is endemic to the Windward Islands: Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent. The populations in most islands have all but disappeared, but Saint Lucia still has a large population of Lansan Trees, comprising as many as one-in ten rainforest trees in some areas.
How do people use it?
The Lansan Tree produces a resin that is both culturally and economically important and it is harvested by many people living in surrounding regions. The valuable white resin is extracted from the tree by slashing the bark, typically once every one-to-two weeks. The resin is much sought after as a slow-burning incense, chiefly in Roman Catholic churches and household shrines, and is traded internationally, which can endanger the tree.
Why is it threatened?
Over-tapping for the resin can swiftly lead to trees becoming infected and rotting. Even immature trees are tapped. The decline of the banana industry over the past decade has caused more people to turn to the collection of forest products. Trees are also threatened by the general degradation and conversion of rainforests for agriculture.
Surveys from 2009 show that many trees have been weakened or killed by hundreds of seemingly indiscriminate cuts. Even inside the Forest Reserves, unregulated extraction of the resin is still occurring.
What conservation action is needed?
In countries where this tree has become extremely scarce, strict protection of all remaining trees and their habitat is warranted: the Lansan Tree can show rapid regeneration if well managed.
In Saint Lucia, which has extensive forest reserves and a large but increasingly threatened population of Lansan Trees, there appear to be excellent prospects of enlisting the support of local tappers to conserve the trees through co-management agreements (whereby they are granted exclusive permits to harvest, but also guard, the trees in their area).
The Saint Lucia Forestry Department is keen to promote the sustainable use of forest resources and is currently piloting a Global Trees Campaign-supported project to determine how to harvest resin sustainably.
Acknowledgements
This profile was written by Arianne Davies, with input from Dr Jenny Daltry. All photographs were taken in the field by Jenny Daltry.
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