Simulation: The Extraction Of The Prunus Africana

Simulation Paper
SCI/362
December 5th, 2011 Willise Riche, M.D.

Simulation Paper There are thousands of pharmaceutical companies in the world today who thrive on rainforests around the world for its plants and trees for production of different herbal remedies. The rainforests account for majority of the world’s plants and animals and produce a high amount of the world’s oxygen. Also the rainforest are home to different Indian Tribes such as the Kikuyu Tribe. The global population continues to grow and so does the demand for more forest products such as the Prunus Africana tree. Supply and demand of these trees is an issue that needs to be addressed ethically by the stakeholders involved that’s positive for everyone involved.
Today our rainforests countries have become dependent on the deforestation by foreign companies. Some of these rainforests may have the answer to some very important questions on cancer and diseases, but we will never know if the deforestation continues. As long as the global population continues to grow at a rapid rate, we will continue to see more and more rainforest disappearing. The Indian tribes that call these rainforests home will be forced from their homes and forced into civilization. There must be another way of harvesting these plants and trees that’s positive for both the environment and the stakeholders involved. Colney & Pitts is a leading manufacturer in America of herbal remedies based in California with annual sales of $50 million. Some of the herbal remedies that Colney & Pitts manufacture are for prostate cancer, incontinence, nycturia, dysuria, and polyuria. In Europe and America there are 60% of men over the age of 50 with prostate issues. The number of men with prostate issues continues to grow so does the demand of the herbal remedies that means more deforestation of the rainforests for their plants and trees. There is one tree specific to the production of the prostate herbal remedies called the Prunus Africana. The Prunus Africana is the only African variety of 200 species of Prunus around the world and the only Prunus tree useful for manufacturing drugs for prostate issues.
It takes a period of 20 years for the Prunus Africana to grow to 30 meters or more. That is one reason there are only a limited number of Prunus Africana found in Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The extraction of pulverized, dark bark of Prunus Africana is the reason for high demand on these trees for production of drugs for prostate issues. The Prunus Africana is currently being harvested out of eastern highlands of Kenya in the Aberdares Mountains. The Aberdares Mountains are the home to the Kikuyu Tribe, the largest ethnic tribe in the country. The Kikuyu Tribe has been around since the colonial times, and they have serious influence on political and economic issues in Kenya. Most Kikuyus people live in or around the fertile ground of the central highlands and Mount Kenya. The Kikuyus people are known for farming tea and coffee because of the volcanic highlands along Mount Kenya. The majority of the Kikuyus people are very well educated because of their economic success in the past. Today the Kikuyus maintain their economic stability and continue to dominate leadership and politics in Kenya ("Kenya Information Guide",
2011). Colney & Pitts has entered a contract with the Government of Kenya to set-up manufacturing and harvesting of their Prunus Africana trees in the Aberdares Mountain, home of the Kikuyu Tribe. In return, Colney & Pitts will develop the Kikuyu Tribe and implement measures for forest conservation. The International Center for Ethnobotanical Research (ICER) heard about Colney & Pitts wanting to harvest the Prunus Africana and oppose the project on grounds the large-scale repeated harvesting of these trees would disrupt the ground soil, tribe settlements, and destroy natural vegetation around the area. The International Center for Ethnobotanical Research is a not for profit organization dedicated to environmental renewal, environmental research, and tribal community development in the forests of Kenya (Apollo Group, 2005). The International Center for Ethnobotanical Research is willing to work with Colney & Pitts if some of their demands are met such as compensating, providing education, encouraging domestication of the trees, and adopting technology of marcotting for the tribe. During negotiations between Colney & Pitts and The International Center for Ethnobotanical Research, EcoSmiles, a conservationist organization dedicated to the ecosystem in the forests of Kenya hears news of the project. EcoSmiles has been actively protecting these forests over the past four years, forcing three major pharmaceutical companies and two timber companies to leave the forest (Apollo Group, 2005). Once the Ecosmiles heard of the program, they started the “Save Prunus Save Forest” campaign against Colney & Pitts. EcoSmiles found out the government agency was involved is when they decided to work with Colney & Potts as long as they initiated sustainable harvesting and check poaching. Each stakeholder involved in this simulation has very good viewpoints and angles to address the issue of Colney & Pitts harvesting the Prunus Africana tree from the Aberdares Mountains in Kenya.
Colney & Pitts needs the Prunus Africana for the extraction of pulverized, dark bark to manufacture the herbal remedies they produce to treat prostate illnesses. The International Center for Ethnobotanical wants to protect the environment and the Kikuyu Tribe and look out for the best interests. EcoSmiles do not want to disrupt the already vulnerable ecosystem and suggest that Colney & Pitts should harvest the trees in their own country. Some of these issues that arise by each stakeholder competing priorities are questions such as why is it more important to harvest these trees for men over 50 with prostate illnesses? What makes the people suffering from prostate illnesses more important than the rainforest and tribes that call the rainforest home? Why should Colney & Pitts pay the Kikuyu Tribe when the government has already agreed to the program? How will Colney & Pitts protect the Prunus Africana from poachers and other companies wanting to harvest the trees as well? These are just some of the issues and questions that have arisen so
far. When the stakeholders sit down and discuss the different measures that should take place in order for the program to be a success for each stakeholder involved including the voiceless stakeholders there will be environmental justice. Each stakeholder has to take into account the other stakeholders demands and find a way to compromise for the better good of the project. As long as each stakeholder can take a little they must give a little back. If that happens then it creates a happy environment and successful program.

References
Apollo Group. (2005). Managing Environmental Issues [Multimedia]. Retrieved from Apollo Group, SCI362 website.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/
Kenya Information Guide. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.kenya-information-guide.com/kikuyu-tribe.html