Every November, the forest located between the Mexican states of Michoacan and Estado de Mexico is covered in fluttering orange, black, and white wonders. As part of their migration cycle, monarch butterflies fly around 2,800 miles from Canada and the United States to spend the coldest months of the year in warmer lands. These symbols of hope are now affected by the dangers of climate change- Christin Vigueras #michoacan#michocán #monarch#butterfly#monarchbutterfly#indigenous#native#climatechange#migration#canada#mexico#agriculture
Indigenous agroforestry is dying of thirst amid a sea of avocados in Mexico:
A rich tradition of cultivating and collecting medicinal plants in Mexico’s Michoacán state is at risk, as the Indigenous community behind it loses access to water.
Avocado farms–mostly supplying the U.S. market–dominate water resources in the town of Angahuan, forcing Indigenous P’urhépecha healers to buy clean water by the gallon from shops to keep their medicinal plants alive.
These healers, known as curanderas, have for generations grown a wide variety of medicinal plants in agroforestry gardens that also combine fruit and vegetables, timber trees, and flowers. Agroforestry boosts biodiversity and is a celebrated climate change solution.
The P’urhépecha healers are resisting the negative effects of avocado farms by planting trees in the hills build up water resources while launching a natural pharmacy business in town.
Journalist Monica Pelliccia visited the community to cover this story and created these images of the curanderas in their gardens, collecting herbs, and creating medicines for use by the community.
See the link in our bio to see more and read her full report.
#indigenous#agroforestry#mexico#michoacan#avocado#curandera#méxico#michoacán#herbalism#wildcrafting#wildcraft#onassignment