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REVITALIZING beyond its native range to Pacific islands %PACIFIC such as Samoa and the Cook Islands, PRODUCTION which is possible because of sandalwood’s capacity to grow in more humid zones Introduction when cultivated in well-managed, The genus Santalum includes the major agroforestry configurations that provide of international commerce adequate sunlight and prevent and trade, and indeed some of the most overtopping by taller trees. valuable and widely recognized plants in the fragrance and industries. New plantation sandalwood resources in Sandalwoods have a scattered distribution Australia and the Pacific Islands throughout the entire Pacific Islands Within the next ten to 20 years, it is likely region, naturally occurring wherever that Western Australia (WA) will dominate environmental conditions are favourable. sandalwood production and the Pacific sandalwood species of commercial international export trade in sandalwood trade include Santalum austrocaledonicum products. Large plantations have been (Vanuatu and New Caledonia), established in WA through managed S. macgregorii (Papua New Guinea), Sandalwood investment schemes (MIS) financed by the S. insulare (French Polynesia and Cook harvesting is closely regulated in both private sector. Major players include the Islands) and S. yasi (Fiji and Tonga) in the countries but, in the case of Vanuatu, the Tropical Services Corporation South Pacific; and S. ellipticum, present extraction quota of 80 tonnes of Ltd, ITC Ltd and Santalol that are growing S. freycinetianum, S. haleakalae and heartwood per year appears about 3 700 ha of S. album under S. paniculatum from Hawaii in the northern unsustainable. A recent inventory of irrigation in the Ord River region. Pacific. sandalwood resources by the Department S. spicatum is being planted in the drier Sandalwoods were traditionally used in of Forests and James Cook University in zones of WA with the Forest Products the Pacific Islands for carvings, cultural Vanuatu showed that only about 290 Commission aiming to establish 4 800 ha benefits, medicine and scenting tonnes remain. At today’s harvest rates, by the end of 2008. The MIS company, oil and were also burned as an insect Vanuatu’s sandalwood supply will be Rewards Projects Ltd, has already repellent. Nowadays, they are rarely used substantially reduced in four to five years established 2 700 ha of S. spicatum and locally because of their scarcity and high and will be in short supply until plantation Emerald Peak Plantations Ltd is planning cash value for export. Pacific sandalwood is available in 12 to 15 years. to establish 495 ha of the same species. sandalwoods, such as S. yasi and some Over the past century, sandalwood from By contrast, new sandalwood plantings populations of S. austrocaledonicum, S. yasi in Fiji and Tonga has been exported in the South Pacific Islands (as detailed produce highly prized sandalwoods, often to a limited extent, experiencing short- below) are much smaller and more similar in quality to the well-known lived boom periods associated with a dispersed. Pacific Island plantations of S. album from India and Indonesia. The buildup of sandalwood stocks. The current sandalwood run considerable risks (from sandalwood trade was one of the first high international prices for sandalwood, tropical cyclones, fire, Phellinus noxius reasons to attract Europeans to the South including S. yasi, have led to drastic fungus, theft and rights of ownership, etc.) Pacific in the early nineteenth century. overharvesting in Fiji and Tonga, mostly but, compared with the plantations being Most sandalwood species have already illegal and often with no returns for the developed in WA and elsewhere, have reached or are fast approaching legitimate owners, for whom the prices several advantages, such as more rapid commercial extinction in their native paid are variable and often extremely low, growth and shorter rotations for the habitats. They include not only the Pacific e.g.

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Cook University. The latter project expected that the establishment of • Conservation of genetic diversity in S. demonstrated the variation in heartwood oil agroforestry plantings of sandalwood will yasi. Update the S. yasi conservation and quality (santalol content) and quantity soon exceed 5 ha per year. sustainable management strategy and between populations and individuals, and provide private sector backing and the importance of selecting the correct seed A future model? support for its implementation. source for replanting. A promotional video In Fiji, a promising new model for private- Wherever possible, the genetic material developed by the Secretariat of the Pacific public-community partnerships to develop of any cut sandalwood tree should be Community is also sparking interest and sandalwood resources is being explored by first conserved in gene conservation informing native landowners about how to the Government of Fiji and Pacific stands, either through seed and wildling grow sandalwood. Surveys by the Reforestation (Fiji) Ltd (PRF). It has the collection or grafted scions. Department of Forests show that in recent following features. A similar model might hold promise for years about 80 ha of native sandalwood (S. • Sustainable and equitable utilization of other Pacific Island countries, such as Tonga austrocaledonicum) have been planted by 45 Santalum yasi. Prior to any harvesting of and Papua New Guinea, where sandalwood growers on six islands (Aneityum, Aniwa, S. yasi, the tree/resources owner must resources are being exploited in an Efate, Erromango, Malekula and Tanna). be verified by the recognized authority uncontrolled and suboptimal manner but Smallholder plantings are mainly (Native Lands Trust Board in with little financial return to resource undertaken in agroforestry systems, but collaboration with local provincial owners. (The author acknowledges with most of of the area planted is by commercial councils and the Forestry Department). thanks the input from Pacific forestry growers on Efate. An agreed, fixed and fair price is to be colleagues, Mr Ioan Viji, Ms Sanjana Lal, Mr Fiji. The Forestry Department in Fiji has paid for sandalwood to the rightful Tevita Faka'osi, Mr Otheniel Tangianau and a target of propagating 10 000 seedlings owner(s) with a set proportion going to Mr Tolusina Pouli.) per year for planting by native landowners. the Forestry Department for sandalwood (Contributed by Lex A.J. Thomson, FACT The main species being propagated and extension throughout Fiji, including (Facilitating Agricultural Commodity Trade) planted are the local Santalum yasi, with training and propagation of planting Team Leader, Secretariat of the Pacific smaller amounts of S. album, and the materials. A modest and sustainable Community, SPC Private Mail Bag, Suva, hybrid between these two species. The harvest rate for the remnant S. yasi Fiji Islands. E-mail: [email protected]) p focus of these plantings is on the two larger trees, such as 20 tonnes, should be islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Native sustained per year over the next 15 landowners are propagating and planting years, until new sandalwood plantings, small areas of S. yasi on the outer islands and plantations come into production. of Fiji, especially on Kadavu and the Lau It is proposed that the sustainable Group. A local company, Pacific harvest rate be regularly reviewed, e.g. Reforestation (Fiji) Ltd, has been every three years, by the Forestry undertaking research on sandalwood and Department. host species and is currently planting • Value adding and marketing/branding of several hectares per year of sandalwood Fiji S. yasi. There would be a ban on and hosts on Viti Levu. export of unprocessed S. yasi heartwood Tonga. The Forestry Division in Tonga has to maximize local value adding and just set a target of propagating economic benefits for Fiji. The private 100 000 seedlings per year. To date, there sector, led by PRF, would develop a have been relatively few sandalwood marketing and branding strategy to plantings, partly because the theft of wild maximize market recognition and trees in recent years has made landowners appreciation of Fiji S. yasi and its reluctant to replant. essential oil. Cook Islands. The majority of sandalwood • Santalum yasi replanting programme. Dr Lex Thomson has recently joined the plantings are on the island of Mangaia where The Forestry Department would expand Secretariat of the Pacific Community in 10 ha of exotic sandalwoods (8 ha of S. its current extension programmes for S. Fiji as Team Leader for the EU-funded austrocaledonicum and 2 ha of S. album) yasi and PRF would develop commercial Facilitating Agricultural Commodity Trade have been established in a variety of partnerships with Fijian mataqali Project. His research and professional situations. Survival, tree form and height (landowner units) to protect and replant interests are in the areas of conservation growth are good, but diameter increment is S. yasi, including provision of and sustainable use of forest genetic only moderate. information, planting materials and resources in the developing tropics, Samoa. Sandalwood was only introduced finances. assessment and domestication of to Samoa in 2000. Since 2006, several • Research and development. The multipurpose trees, and forest thousand plants () have Forestry Department and PRF should biodiversity for food security, nutrition and been planted per year on the islands of develop a joint R&D programme for income generation. He has worked in Upolu and Savai’i: early growth and bole S. yasi to identify optimum silvicultural more than 30 countries, mainly in the form are outstanding. Together with the regimes, including propagation systems, Asia-Pacific region, including research development of local seed sources and a most suitable hosts and technologies to and development of sandalwood in eight major new agroforestry project, it is initiate earlier heartwood formation. countries.

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 17 July 2008