Centuries-old Indian poems and folk songs have revealed that western India’s savannas are ancient, natural ecosystems rather than ruined forests. The problem is that these lands were long mislabeled as "wastelands," leading to misguided tree-planting projects that threatened local biodiversity. The solution came from scientists using 13th-century literature as ecological evidence to prove the landscape's history. This benefits people by protecting rare species and ensuring more accurate, culturally-rooted conservation strategies for the millions who rely on these lands.
