Australian sandalwood - under threat but it could have a rosy future

Australian sandalwood fruit. Image: M.Fagg

What do you know about sandalwood?

Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) has been exploited since the 1850s and now there are major concerns that the wild stocks of this once widespread small tree are in serious decline with next to no natural recruitment due to drought, grazing by feral and domestic animals and fires. Australian sandalwood is now considered to be vulnerable to extinction in the wild.

There is evidence that harvesting of wild stocks continues to be problematic.

Can plantation grown Australian sandalwood be the answer?

Listen to this interview with Dr Geoff Woodall, one of the founders of farmed sandalwood to learn more.

Dr Geoff Woodall, Native Plant Agronomist, with one of his cultivated sandalwood trees.

Distribution of Australian sandalwood (S. spicatum). Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Geoff Woodall with a 20 year old ‘farmed’ sandalwood tree.

Fears WA sandalwood under threat despite reduced wild harvest quota - ABC January 2016

The Wilderness Society says the new annual sandalwood harvesting quota is six times higher then what is considered a sustainable level.(Supplied: Wilderness Society)

Cleaning harvested sandalwood - (Rhiannon Stevens and Isabel Moussalli)

From the Gibson Desert to New York, these sandalwood harvesters are winning over the perfume market - ABC Goldfields - September 2020

Sandalwood oil is used in soap, detergents, deodorant, perfume and cosmetics manufacture.