In Nepal, centuries-old Buddhist incense tradition faces overharvesting, climate threats

In Nepal, centuries-old Buddhist incense tradition faces overharvesting, climate threats

MANANG, Nepal — In Bhakra village of western Nepal’s Manang district, 72-year-old Buddhist nun Tashi Lama sits in silence, chanting as she turns her prayer wheel. Ever since she took her vows at 25, her mornings begin with prayers and the lighting of sang, a sacred incense made from dried branches and leaves of black juniper (Juniperus indica) and wild wormwood (titepati) among others. “Lighting sang purifies our environment. It’s something we d…