Wildfires in Chios

The recent report of wildfires on Chios, Greece is devastating news to the botanical world. The forested island is home to an ancient grove of Pistacia lentiscus tree that produces a resin known as mastic. Mastic is used in everything from chewing gum to spices to perfume additives to varnish and is one of Greece’s national prides. Production of mastic dates back to 50 A.D. and within the European Union has a protected designation of origin status, meaning that mastic production is recognized as being unique to Chios. 

 The landscape of Chios prior to the fires.

Modern production of mastic on Chios follows the ancient traditions of mastic harvesting. The resin is from the bark of the tree, rather than the wood and the best way to harvest mastic is by cutting the tree and letting the resin fall to the ground. Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson, president of the Missouri Botanical Garden, visited Chios in June of this year and photo-documented the harvest of mastic resin. 

The mastic tree

First step is to clean and sweep under the trees, making the ground level and free of large debris to ready it for the mastic to fall.

Cleaning up the perimeter

Next, a layer of calcium carbonate is spread on the ground to allow the resin to clump without altering its composition.

Spreading the calcium carbonate

Thick layer of calcium carbonate

Then, slits are cut into the bark. 

 The mastic resin oozes from the tree, dropping into the prepared calcium carbontate below.

Collecting the fallen resin

The wildfires broke out in the early morning hours of August 18, 2012 and quickly spread along the southern portion of the very dry island. Villages were evacuated, and many of the ancient mastic trees went up in flames. While it is still uncertain how many tree were destroyed in these fires, the economy of Chios and the estimated 3,000 families who depend on the mastic trees as well as the global market will be greatly affected by this loss. These fires will change the amount of mastic available today, and many more events like these fires could endanger mastic production in Chios even greater. It is a clear lesson as to why the collection of all biocultural artifacts, even those that are modern and prevalent, is necessary.

Sources: 

Top scan from Financial Times, September 1 -2, 2012

Chios fire burning for a fourth day, mastic trees damaged.ekathimerini.com.
Paradise lost: Residents flee from two villages as firefighters battle to contain massive wall of flames on Greek Island  DailyMail.