Economic net return analysis of Boswellia. Papyrifera (Del.) Hochst in the Blue Nile state, Sudan

Many people in Sudan and around the world depend on trees to meet their basic needs for food, shelter, and non timber forest products, yet the environmental, cultural, social and economic values of trees are overlooked in development planning, land management and in international co-operation. Trees and forests contribute to the wide range needs of our changing society; they offer a key option to sustainable agriculture and economic growth in a world confronted by urgent demands of grows population.1 Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst is a deciduous dry-land tree species which belongs to the family Burseraceae. The family is distinguished by the presence of resin ducts in the bark and production of aromatic oils and resins. It is geographically distributed in drier parts of Africa from Nigeria in the west to Eritrea and Ethiopia in the East, being dominant in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.2 It is a multipurpose tree species with diverse socioeconomic and ecological importance. Almost all parts of the tree are used for different purposes. Its wood is used for pole and timber locally. It is the source of frankincense (gum olibanum) tapped for cash income and local uses. The leaves and seeds of B. papyrifera are highly valued as dry season fodder for goats, camels and other livestock.3,4 The sweet smelling flowers, that appears when the tree fell its leaves, are important sources of nectar for honey bees. Vollesn et al.5 found Boswellia papyrifera in Ethiopia, Chad, Eritrea, Cameron, Central Africa Republic, Sudan and Uganda).