Charity to clear landmines to help frankincense tree project in war-torn Somalia

Two Scottish charities are teaming up to help precious frankincense trees in war-torn Somalia by clearing landmines which stand in the way of the work.

The Halo Trust, the world’s largest landmine-clearing charity, is signing a partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RGBE) to tackle the environmental consequences of war.

The two organisations will sign the agreement at the gardens on Thursday.

Kicking off the initiative in the Horn of Africa, Halo Trust explosives experts have cleared landmines and other dangerous remnants of war in parts of Puntland and south-west Somalia.

This will allow safe access for ecological surveys on rare, income-generating frankincense trees to take place.

The trees – also known as Boswellia sacra – are an economically and culturally important species under increasing threat from environmental pressures.

Frankincense resin has a wide range of uses, primarily in aromatherapy, skincare and traditional medicine.

Using methods developed by the RBGE, a project is investigating tree health, supporting tree nurseries and replanting initiatives.

Somalia has been wracked by a number of wars in recent decades which have blighted its economy.

James Cowan, CEO of the Dumfries-based Halo Trust, said: “War leaves behind a legacy of devastation, splintering the lives of people and destroying the fragile environments upon which they depend.

“By fusing our respective expertise, passion and knowledge, our shared vision of helping people to recover and thrive after conflict while restoring the natural world is brought to life.

“Together, we envision a future rooted in peace – where both the land and its people can flourish again.”

Simon Milne, regius keeper of RBGE, said: “This partnership represents an innovative alignment of missions.

“By combining Halo’s deep field knowledge and community networks with our expertise in plant science and conservation horticulture, we can support some of the world’s most vulnerable regions with practical solutions to strengthen ecosystems and livelihoods alike.”

The charities hope to carry out similar projects in other parts of Africa and the Middle East, where conflicts have affected natural resources.

Last month Harry, the Duke of Sussex, visited an Angolan minefield with the Halo Trust – 28 years after his mother’s famous visit in the same country.

As a patron of the landmine clearance charity, he spoke to families in a remote village near Africa’s largest minefield.