Sacred Sacred ConservationConservationPreserving our TraditionalPreserving our Traditional

MedicineMedicine

Radiocarbon dating shows ceremonial use of Peyote 6000 years ago along the Rio Grande in South Texas.

CURRENT NEWSPAPERCURRENT NEWSPAPERSTORIESSTORIES

Troubled times for Texas hallucinogen harvestersDecember 16, 2007ReutersBy Jeff Franks

DALLAS OBSERVER Texas' Peyote Hunters Struggle to Find a Vanishing, Holy Crop Harvesting peyote is legal for only three people, and all of them live in

Texas By Russell Cobb Published on February 14, 2008

The McAllen Monitor Peyote pity: For South Texas vendors of the ceremonial drug,

business is dwindlingJune 29, 2008 | Jeremy Roebuck

NEGATIVE IMPACTSNEGATIVE IMPACTSOn Our PEYOTE MEDICINEOn Our PEYOTE MEDICINE

Rustling.

Over Harvesting.

Oil/Gas Companies Lease Acreage and deny access to land.

Land owners clearing and plowing under plants.

Increase demand on medicine.

Weather Conditions.

Improper Harvesting.

PEYOTE IN NATURAL HABITATPEYOTE IN NATURAL HABITAT

ANECDOTAL INFORMATIONANECDOTAL INFORMATION

Many botanists know that crowns are stem tissue.

And that the root tissue is under ground.

Some botanists believe that proper harvesting can increase the survival rate of the peyote plant

What is not known is where stem tissue starts and root tissue ends.

.

IMPROPER HARVESTINGIMPROPER HARVESTING

• Cut was made into the root tissue resulting in total loss of plant.

SYSTEMATIC STUDY NEEDEDSYSTEMATIC STUDY NEEDED

Determine dividing line between root and stem.

Study survival patterns.

After study completion make recommendations to authorized harvesters on how to cut plant to encourage re-growth.

USDA/NRCSUSDA/NRCSProven Track RecordProven Track Record

Assisted with developing Bison Herd Ceremonial and Economic Development.

Provided Technical expertise with respect to our traditions.

Why not use that same resource to help conserve

our other sacred gift Peyote.

COLLABORATION of RESOURCESCOLLABORATION of RESOURCES

Rio Grande NAC, Mark Donet USDA/NRCS RC&D, Alpine TX and Dr. Martin Terry, Department of Biology

Sul Ross State University, Alpine TX.

Initiated 4 year study ( March 2008) at a traditional Peyote Habitat in South Texas to determine proper harvesting and plant re-growth patterns

SYSTEMATIC STUDYSYSTEMATIC STUDYMARCH 2008MARCH 2008

Clearing around the base of the plant to get a clean cut at ground level. This means cutting the plant just at the base of the green top, leaving the subterranean stem unharmed so it can sprout new tops.

Harvesting the top of the plant with a knife.

SYSTEMATIC STUDYSYSTEMATIC STUDYMARCH 2008MARCH 2008

Counting the ribs of a freshly cut button in the field.

Weighing the harvested top of the plant.

Record Findings.

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Petition at the Sacred Desert March Petition at the Sacred Desert March 20082008

• Traditional Huichol Peyote Harvest

• Wirikuta Desert

SLP,MX

March 2009 FindingsMarch 2009 Findings

• High number of surviving tap roots.

• Average rainfall for impacted area is 20 inches per year.

• Exceptional rainfall in Aug. 2008, (4-8 inches) factored into study.

Favorable Re-Growth PatternsFavorable Re-Growth Patterns

• Very encouraging Patterns.

• On average 5/6 pups per surviving Tap root.

• Continue to monitor Re-Growth Patterns

Endangered Star CactusEndangered Star Cactus• The Star Cactus placed

on endangered list October,1993.

• The cactus is is highly prized by collectors.

• Loss of habitat. Root-plowing mechanical and chemical process have helped in the decline of this species.

• In the near future this cactus might be totally extinct in the Texas territory.

GOALS And OBJECTIVESGOALS And OBJECTIVES Interim Activity continue to inform practitioners of the negative impacts

After completion of Peyote Systematic Study provide findings to Impacted Entities.

Continue Faith in Conservation Practices to conserve our Sacred Medicine.