Sweetgrass has become dependent on human harvesting to flourish

Evidence

With a long, long history of cultural use, sweetgrass has apparently become dependent on humans to create the “disturbance” that stimulates its compensatory growth. Humans participate in a symbiosis in which sweetgrass provides its fragrant blades to the people and people, by harvesting, create the conditions for sweetgrass to flourish. — Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, 578

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: A plant species persists where it is harvested respectfully and departs where ignored. — Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom,…, 546; Sweetgrass persists only near Native communities that still harvest it — Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom,…, 579; Sweetgrass flourishes when harvested and declines when left alone — Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom,…, 570 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Sweetgrass renewal after harvest signals the plant’s mutual need for people #corroborates (0.95) — Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, 585
• Sweetgrass flourishes most in stands tended respectfully by human harvesters. #corroborates (0.92) — Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, 962
• Indigenous harvesting practices are environmental factors plants depend on for survival #expands (0.90) — Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing, 499
• Some plants now depend on specific human harvesting practices to survive #expands (0.88) — Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing, 499
• Sweetgrass decline is driven by development, not by overharvesting. #qualifies (0.75) — Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, 960