Endangered Status of Maire's Yew in Nepal (Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli, Makwanpur) - 2020s

Endangered Status of Maire's Yew in Nepal (Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli, Makwanpur) - 2020s
In the 2020s, Maire's yew (Taxus mairei), used for extracting paclitaxel, is facing a serious threat of extinction due to overharvesting. Currently, less than 500 wild Maire's yew trees remain in Nepal, limited to the three regions of Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli, and Makwanpur. This tree has long been used in traditional medicine, but the rising demand for paclitaxel, an anticancer drug, has led to excessive harvesting. Greenhood Nepal, a conservation organization, is working on implementing sustainable harvesting methods to protect the species.

Producing paclitaxel requires a large amount of resources; approximately 1 ton of leaves is needed to extract 550 grams of 10-DAB-III, a chemical intermediate further processed into paclitaxel. This overharvesting is causing deforestation and is having a significant impact on both the environment and local communities. Nepal exports 25 kilograms of 10-DAB-III annually, which requires about 45 tons of leaves. It is urgent to transition from this unsustainable resource extraction to more sustainable practices.