Trees Bleed Too
Julia Adams | May 2018
Why is it, that some of us humans are adamant about saving a species that we may not have ever known of their disappearance? Is it the idea of relatedness? That we have something in common with the big cats in the African safaris, or even an unusual tree on an Island in the Indian Ocean.
The Dragon’s blood tree, found on an archipelago, a chain of islands, off of the coast of Yemen, is one of those species. It catches the attention of someone that lives oceans away, and calls for it to be conserved. Maybe it is wonder, that humans from all over the world find value in the fact that there are fairytale-like organisms to be discovered.There is something that a , “out of this world” species like the Dragon’s Blood tree does to people who read about it/ The tree looks as if it is out of a children's story book. Otherworldly species like this create a sense of urgency, or panic, knowing that if one does not travel to far away places like Socotra Island, and soon, magical species like Dragon Blood tree will be gone.
This tree is peculiar and mesmerizing, its canopy almost looks as if the underground root system was flipped 180 degrees. A unique tree, with a unique location, only found in an island in the northwestern Indian Ocean, with a climate that drives out any human inhabitants for half of the year, or at least it used to.
Dragon's blood tree gets its name from a legend. The story goes, that the blood tree was created from the blood of a dragon that fought an elephant, and like the beaten dragon, secretes blood when it is injured. I find this anecdote relevant to the current demise of species big and small, from tetrapods in Central America to big trees off on small islands in the Indian Ocean. The compromised life of a species that shares an almost human reaction when it is in distress, to seep red resin, must register in us, that we are all related. Our actions in a small town in western North Carolina, contribute to a changing climate, and thus to an unstable monsoon season for the Socotra Island, and consequently, slow or absent regeneration for these charismatic trees will ensue.
The island of Socotra, belongs to the Republic of Yemen, is considered one of the most preserved island ecosystems on Earth. The island holds World Heritage Site status for good reason, it was deemed one of the most biodiverse islands in the world. The wet climate, alternating between monsoon seasons brought on by the South-west summer and the north-east winter, creates a haven for flora. The evergreen woodland biome is dominated by the Dragon’s blood tree.
Throughout history, the red resin that gives the Dragon’s blood tree it’s name has been harvested for medicinal reasons, it is thought to be antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and has even been used to treat cancerous tumors. Along with the medicinal value, the antioxidants from the resin are used by the cosmetic industry in anti-aging creams. A more traditional harvesting of the tree pertains to the berries that come when, and if, the tree flowers. These berries cause sickness if eaten in excess, and local goat farmers feed them to their livestock in small amounts. This practice has been undermined due to the rare flowering of the trees in recent years. The trees crowns once were frequently covered in flowering spikes, but now it is common to only see one side or part of the tree in bloom.
The current conservation status of the Dragon’s blood tree is vulnerable, due to the less than promising regeneration. The downfall of the emblematic tree stems from many causes. The most prominent reason for the lack of new growth or regeneration is from the shift from the once stable monsoon season, that brought the island a constant drizzle or low dense cloud cover, that the trees thrived in, to a patchy, much drier climate that now engulfed the island. The tree is expected to lose 45% of its habitat by 2080, and with the pressures of increased livestock numbers, the future of the Dragon’s blood tree is looking grim.
The story of the Dragon’s blood tree can teach us so many lessons. The consumption of the tree’s berries is a perfect metaphor to the current predicament of our world. Excess, excess, excess, it seems like it will never stop. The Earth is sick from consumption, and as a result, through destructive practices and lack of empathy for the world around us, species like this will cease to exists. There is a familiar paradox that surrounds the story of the Dragon’s blood tree, the sheer fact that it has valuable resin, which is harvested and used by many, results in its immense vulnerability. The very uniqueness of this species is what is causing its demise. Its specialized climate requirements are so fragile and special, that with the warming and drying of the world, unusual species like these will go down in history. Species like this will be dreamed about in future generations the way we, today, are in awe of the magnificence of dinosaurs.
Julia Adams | May 2018
Why is it, that some of us humans are adamant about saving a species that we may not have ever known of their disappearance? Is it the idea of relatedness? That we have something in common with the big cats in the African safaris, or even an unusual tree on an Island in the Indian Ocean.
The Dragon’s blood tree, found on an archipelago, a chain of islands, off of the coast of Yemen, is one of those species. It catches the attention of someone that lives oceans away, and calls for it to be conserved. Maybe it is wonder, that humans from all over the world find value in the fact that there are fairytale-like organisms to be discovered.There is something that a , “out of this world” species like the Dragon’s Blood tree does to people who read about it/ The tree looks as if it is out of a children's story book. Otherworldly species like this create a sense of urgency, or panic, knowing that if one does not travel to far away places like Socotra Island, and soon, magical species like Dragon Blood tree will be gone.
This tree is peculiar and mesmerizing, its canopy almost looks as if the underground root system was flipped 180 degrees. A unique tree, with a unique location, only found in an island in the northwestern Indian Ocean, with a climate that drives out any human inhabitants for half of the year, or at least it used to.
Dragon's blood tree gets its name from a legend. The story goes, that the blood tree was created from the blood of a dragon that fought an elephant, and like the beaten dragon, secretes blood when it is injured. I find this anecdote relevant to the current demise of species big and small, from tetrapods in Central America to big trees off on small islands in the Indian Ocean. The compromised life of a species that shares an almost human reaction when it is in distress, to seep red resin, must register in us, that we are all related. Our actions in a small town in western North Carolina, contribute to a changing climate, and thus to an unstable monsoon season for the Socotra Island, and consequently, slow or absent regeneration for these charismatic trees will ensue.
The island of Socotra, belongs to the Republic of Yemen, is considered one of the most preserved island ecosystems on Earth. The island holds World Heritage Site status for good reason, it was deemed one of the most biodiverse islands in the world. The wet climate, alternating between monsoon seasons brought on by the South-west summer and the north-east winter, creates a haven for flora. The evergreen woodland biome is dominated by the Dragon’s blood tree.
Throughout history, the red resin that gives the Dragon’s blood tree it’s name has been harvested for medicinal reasons, it is thought to be antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and has even been used to treat cancerous tumors. Along with the medicinal value, the antioxidants from the resin are used by the cosmetic industry in anti-aging creams. A more traditional harvesting of the tree pertains to the berries that come when, and if, the tree flowers. These berries cause sickness if eaten in excess, and local goat farmers feed them to their livestock in small amounts. This practice has been undermined due to the rare flowering of the trees in recent years. The trees crowns once were frequently covered in flowering spikes, but now it is common to only see one side or part of the tree in bloom.
The current conservation status of the Dragon’s blood tree is vulnerable, due to the less than promising regeneration. The downfall of the emblematic tree stems from many causes. The most prominent reason for the lack of new growth or regeneration is from the shift from the once stable monsoon season, that brought the island a constant drizzle or low dense cloud cover, that the trees thrived in, to a patchy, much drier climate that now engulfed the island. The tree is expected to lose 45% of its habitat by 2080, and with the pressures of increased livestock numbers, the future of the Dragon’s blood tree is looking grim.
The story of the Dragon’s blood tree can teach us so many lessons. The consumption of the tree’s berries is a perfect metaphor to the current predicament of our world. Excess, excess, excess, it seems like it will never stop. The Earth is sick from consumption, and as a result, through destructive practices and lack of empathy for the world around us, species like this will cease to exists. There is a familiar paradox that surrounds the story of the Dragon’s blood tree, the sheer fact that it has valuable resin, which is harvested and used by many, results in its immense vulnerability. The very uniqueness of this species is what is causing its demise. Its specialized climate requirements are so fragile and special, that with the warming and drying of the world, unusual species like these will go down in history. Species like this will be dreamed about in future generations the way we, today, are in awe of the magnificence of dinosaurs.