The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) released 5.5 million rupees to 18 red sanders farmers under India’s Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) framework. This will encourage farmers to do significant trade for red sanders and also encourage them to grow these trees.
About Red Sanders:
- Red sandalwood (lal chandan) is an Indian endemic tree of the species Pterocarpus santalinus.
- It is a medium sized tree (10-15 m tall) found in dry deciduous forests and woodlands mainly in the Eastern Ghats in the Anantapur, Chittoor, Cuddapah and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh.
- Red sanders grow primarily in rocky and fallow lands with red soil and hot, dry climates.
- It has ecological, economic, and cultural importance and is highly sought after and highly valued in the international market.
- It is renowned for its unique properties, including color and therapeutic or medicinal properties. Apart from this, it is used for making cosmetics, furniture, musical instruments, carvings and tools etc.
- It is highly threatened due to its high commercial value and large-scale smuggling and over-logging, forest fires, cattle grazing and invasive species.
Habitat and distribution:
- It is native to the Eastern Ghats, mainly in Andhra Pradesh, but also cultivated in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha and other states.
Conservation Status:
- Protected species under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- Due to illegal trafficking and overharvesting, it is classified as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List and listed in CITES Appendix II. Its trade is strictly regulated by CITES.
About CITES:
- Its full name is ‘Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora’.
- It is an international agreement between global nations, which was prepared as a result of a proposal by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in the year 1963 and it was implemented in the year 1975.
- It is legally binding on member countries, but does not replace national laws. Currently it includes about 184 countries.
- It is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme with its headquarters currently located in Geneva, Switzerland.
- Its objective is to ensure that international trade in specimens of fauna and flora does not endanger species.
CITES is listed in the following three appendices.
Appendix I: It lists species that are vulnerable to extinction such as pandas, gorillas, sea turtles, etc.
Appendix II: Lists species that are not threatened with extinction and are not subject to any restrictions on trade, such as lions, corals, mahogany, etc.
Appendix III: Lists species that are protected by at least one CITES member country and that country has provided cooperation to regulate international trade, such as Cape stag beetles, turtles, and walruses.
Red sanders are renowned throughout Asia, particularly in China and Japan, for their rich color and medicinal properties. It is known for its expensive red wood, slow growth, natural red pigment, and medicinal properties. Currently, red sanderwood harvested from plantations will be part of the legal trade, helping farmers to pursue legitimate trade.