Aromatic Oils in a Warming World: A Call to Conserve - Part Two

In Part One of this series - Aromatic Oils in a Warming World: A Call to Conserve, we traced the broad contours of the climate crisis and its impact on aromatic plants. Now, in Part Two, we move from the global to the specific. What does it mean when a plant is classified as Critically Endangered or Vulnerable? Which aromatic species are currently under greatest threat, and why? And most importantly, what can be done to protect them? By understanding plant conservation status and recognising the species most at risk, we gain the knowledge we need to make responsible, respectful choices in our use of essential oils. 

From Vulnerable to Endangered: Understanding Plant Survival
Protecting fragile botanical resources begins with understanding the language of conservation. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has developed a globally recognised framework to classify species by their risk of extinction. These categories allow us to see, with stark clarity, how close a plant may be to disappearing.

• Critically Endangered: Populations reduced by ≥80% in 10 years or three generations; fewer than 250 mature adults remain; 50% chance of extinction within 10 years.
• Endangered: Populations reduced by ≥50% in 10 years or three generations; fewer than 2,500 mature adults remain; 20% chance of extinction within 20 years.
• Vulnerable: Populations reduced by ≥30% in 10 years or three generations; fewer than 10,000 mature adults remain; 10% chance of extinction within 100 years.
• Near Threatened: Not yet endangered, but close to qualification if conservation programmes falter.

CITES Protected: Species regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, ensuring that international trade in plants or their parts—such as essential oils—does not drive them closer to extinction.

This framework is far from abstract. It touches directly on the aromatic plants we depend upon for medicine, fragrance, and wellness. According to CITES, nearly 30,000 plant species are already restricted from trade without a permit—many of them the very species distilled for medicinal and aromatic oils.

As Alexandre Antonelli, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has warned: “We may be losing species before we even notice them.” — Speaking about the urgent threats to plant species.

His words remind us that behind every label—Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered—lies not just data, but the precarious survival of plants that anchor cultures, economies, and ecosystems. Understanding these classifications is the first step toward ensuring that aromatic oils remain gifts we can continue to receive, rather than memories of what once was. 

From Sacred to Scarce: Aromatic Plants in Peril
Some of the world’s most beloved essential oil–bearing plants are facing growing ecological pressures. According to the IUCN, these species are among those most at risk.  Note the botanical species, their geographical location specifically at risk along with the official IUCN status.

• Atlas Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) – Algeria, Morocco — Endangered
• Elemi (Canarium luzonicum) – Philippines — Vulnerable
• Fir Needle (Abies spectabilis) – Himalaya regions — Near Threatened
• Himalayan Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi) – Bhutan, India, Nepal — Critically Endangered
• Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) – Japan, Taiwan — Near Threatened
• Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) – Pakistan — Vulnerable
• Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis) – Critically Endangered in Morocco; Endangered in Albania and Belgium
• Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens) – Peru — Critically Endangered
• Rosewood (Dalbergia abrahamii) – Madagascar — Endangered
• Sandalwood (Santalum album) – India, Indonesia, Philippines — Vulnerable
• Sassafras (Ocotea pretiosa) – Brazil — Vulnerable
• Sweet Almond (Prunus dulcis) – Pakistan — Vulnerable

Each of these plants plays a role in cultural traditions and global wellness markets, yet their survival is increasingly uncertain.

As ethnobotanist Dr. Cassandra Quave recently stated: “Plants are not an unlimited resource. Many of the botanicals we take for granted are quietly sliding toward extinction under the twin pressures of human demand and environmental change.”

Sourcing with Integrity, Using with Care

With essential oil demand on the rise, the responsibility of awareness falls on both producers and consumers. Practitioners, formulators, and everyday users must learn which species are at risk and commit to sourcing oils only from reputable producers who engage in ethical cultivation and transparent supply chains.

Responsible sourcing begins with asking the right questions: Where does this oil come from? How was it grown, harvested, and distilled? Were the local ecosystems and communities protected in the process?

Producers who work with integrity often provide documentation of origin, cultivation practices, and conservation measures. Some participate in fair trade programmes, ensuring that growers receive equitable compensation. Others align with CITES regulations or carry organic and sustainability certifications, signalling that biodiversity protection and soil health are part of their production ethos. Choosing to support these producers helps shift the industry away from extractive practices toward regenerative ones.

Consumers, too, can contribute by buying less, but better. The principle of less is more is not just practical—it is essential. Essential oils are among the most concentrated plant products on earth, effective in the smallest of doses. Overuse is not only wasteful but accelerates the depletion of fragile ecosystems. A few drops, used mindfully, carry the same therapeutic benefit as a lavish pour, while safeguarding supply for future generations.

Equally important is diversifying our choices. Certain oils—such as sandalwood or frankincense—are under far greater ecological strain than others. By incorporating alternative botanicals with similar therapeutic properties, practitioners can reduce demand pressure on vulnerable species. Substitution, when done with knowledge and care, can help create breathing space for endangered plants to recover.

As Dr. Kelly Ablard, conservation biologist and founder of the Airmid Institute, notes: “When we source with integrity, we are not simply buying a bottle of oil—we are investing in the health of ecosystems, the survival of species, and the well-being of communities that have cared for these plants for centuries.”

To tread lightly is to blend with consciousness, to respect the potency of these botanicals, and to acknowledge that every drop carries an ecological cost. By sourcing with integrity, we ensure that the story of essential oils is not one of depletion and loss, but of stewardship, renewal, and reverence.

Solutions and Hope

While the challenges are stark, solutions are already in motion. Reforestation, sustainable harvesting, and community-driven conservation initiatives offer pathways toward resilience. Around the world, organisations are working tirelessly to restore ecosystems and protect biodiversity: One Tree Planted, The Nature Conservancy, Eden Projects, and Woodland Trust are restoring forests, strengthening ecosystems, and creating jobs that connect people to stewardship.

These are just a few among many. The Bonn Challenge, for instance, has set a global goal to restore 350 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Individual actions—such as offsetting the carbon of a flight by planting trees—also play a role.

As forester Jad Daley, CEO of American Forests, reminds us: “Every tree planted is a step toward cooling our cities, cleaning our air, and slowing climate change. Forests are not just carbon sinks—they are lifelines.”

A Call to Respect and Restraint

We walk lightly on a planet that carries us far beyond our own lifetimes. The climate crisis is teaching us, sometimes painfully, how fragile our ecosystems truly are. Aromatic oils are not infinite commodities; they are precious gifts of nature, distilled through the slow work of soil, sunlight, and time.

As we blend, inhale, and apply these oils, let us do so with reverence. Let us remember that every drop embodies a web of ecological relationships under stress from climate change. With knowledge, restraint, and respect, we can ensure that the ancient power of aromatic plants remains not only part of our present, but also of our future.