On autumn mornings in Arunachal Pradesh's West Kameng district, families head into the forest carrying woven bamboo baskets. They are not looking for timber or firewood.

Instead, they are searching for a thorny shrub that has quietly shaped local food, medicine and trade for generations.

Known locally as Khagi, Erma, Shyein or Yarma, depending on the tribe and region, Zanthoxylum is a wild Himalayan spice whose tiny fruits release a sharp citrus aroma followed by a tingling numbness on the tongue.

Long before it found buyers beyond the mountains, it flavoured meat curries, chutneys and millet dishes in tribal homes. Its bark, fruits and seeds were also used in indigenous healing traditions.

Today, that same spice is helping protect more than 100 sq km of community-owned forests.

The transformation did not happen overnight.

Over the past few years, WWF India has been working with Indigenous communities and traditional village institutions to strengthen Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) across Arunachal Pradesh.

Community Conserved Areas are natural ecosystems such as forests, wetlands and grasslands that are voluntarily protected and managed by Indigenous and local communities. Their stewardship helps conserve habitats, wildlife and biodiversity while ensuring forests continue to support local livelihoods.

One of the strongest examples has emerged in the Mandala Phudung Khellong Community Conserved Area (CCA) in West Kameng district.

Here, villagers have linked the future of their forests with the future of Khagi.

By creating a community-led system to sustainably harvest, aggregate and market the spice, they have turned a native forest species into a source of income that rewards conservation rather than extraction.

Today, every kilogram of Khagi sold contributes towards forest patrols, biodiversity monitoring and community welfare, giving people a direct economic reason to keep thousands of hectares of forest standing.

A forest owned by its people

Arunachal Pradesh is unlike most states in India when it comes to forests.

Nearly 80% of its geographical area is under forest cover, while more than 60% of these forests are classified as Unclassed State Forests, remaining under the de facto custodianship of Indigenous communities and traditional institutions.

The state is also one of India's richest biodiversity landscapes. It is home to two global biodiversity hotspots, over a quarter of India's plant species, the country's highest mammalian diversity and more than 1,600 high-altitude lakes.

That community ownership makes local decisions especially important.

#DidYouKnow Zanthoxylum, locally known as Khagei or Zabrang, is an essential condiment in the Monpa area of Western Arunachal Pradesh. It is part of the local diet and used as chutney and pickle.Read more about the partnership here: https://t.co/g8UGhkvUMMpic.twitter.com/U19AtBDUKs — WWF-India (@WWFINDIA) March 21, 2020

#DidYouKnow Zanthoxylum, locally known as Khagei or Zabrang, is an essential condiment in the Monpa........

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