When Navajo people were forced from their land in the 1800s, U.S. government troops destroyed their crops in a starvation campaign that included ripping thousands of peach trees from the soil. Today, poor access to fresh produce has led to higher rates of obesity and diabetes for Navajo and other indigenous communities.
Indigenous researchers and Utah State University plant and soil scientists are working to bring Navajo peaches back. By rediscovering canyon orchards and planting new trees, they hope to reconnect Navajo people with this traditional food. These drought-tolerant trees may also help all Utahns adapt to climate change.
