Local adaptation and livelihood: Combating plant invasion by traditional basket-weaving communities in the Western Ghats, India

Forests in peninsular India house a number of forest dwelling communities that depend on bamboo for their livelihoods. However over the last few decades due to heavy extraction by pulp industries, the bamboo stocks have drastically reduced threatening the livelihoods of communities. Coinciding with the loss of bamboo there has been an expansive spread of the invasive species, Lantana. Defying all attempts to control, the weed has adversely affected local livelihoods. Against this scenario, we report a rather ingenious adaptation of the weed by the local communities.  People have learnt to use Lantana as a substitute for bamboo. More than 50 products have been designed with people earning more than 45 % of their income from Lantana. We discuss the  implications of this adaptation and argue how it could lead to a win-win outcome of management of the invasive species while maintaining livelihoods.