Extinction crisis of the mairei yew in Nepal (Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli, Makwanpur) - 2020s

Extinction crisis of the mairei yew in Nepal (Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli, Makwanpur) - 2020s
In the 2020s, the mairei yew (Taxus mairei), used for paclitaxel extraction, is in serious danger of extinction due to overharvesting. Currently, there are less than 500 of these yews remaining in the wild in Nepal, and they are limited to three regions: Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli, and Makwanpur. The plant has also been used for many years as a traditional medicine, but its increasing demand as an ingredient in anti-cancer drugs has led to overharvesting. The conservation organization Greenhood Nepal is promoting the conservation of this species by introducing sustainable harvesting methods.

Paclitaxel production requires a large amount of resources, with 550 grams of "10-DAB-III" extracted from approximately one ton of leaves. This chemical intermediate is further processed into paclitaxel, and overharvesting has led to deforestation, affecting the environment and local communities. Every year, 25 kilograms of 10-DAB-III are exported from Nepal, which requires about 45 tons of leaves. There is an urgent need to curb this unplanned resource extraction and shift to sustainable methods.