#traditional-ecological-knowledge

#traditional-ecological-knowledge

Before burning the meadow, Herrera urged everyone to think about those who would gather materials in the coming months. "It's going to be a place where our people can gather food, fibers and medicines," she said. "We want to make sure all of that stuff stays really clean." Basket weavers often hold materials in their mouths, and it's long been a challenge to find plants free of fuel or herbicides. Here, the tribe can tend its garden as it chooses.

The big harvesting opportunity comes during mautam, the rare mass flowering of bamboo (Melocanna baccifera) that triggers stink bug outbreaks. There isn't a fixed date or month; it's mostly around September-October, says Lalvohbika, a conservationist at Dampa tiger reserve in Mizoram. But weather patterns are changing these days. In 2022 we saw them as early as May and then again in September-October.