Taxol, found in the bark of the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolin), is a promising anti-cancer drug. It takes 30,000 pounds of bark (2,000-4,000 trees) to produce one kilogram of taxol. The tree had to be sacrificed to produce the bark. It can take decades for Pacific yew to reach shoulder height, small trees yield less bark. Alternatives for producing taxol are being explored