January 2026 I went to the Somali Region of Ethiopia with an international team of researchers to study myrrh. Myrrh is a tree resin, often partnered with Frankincense, botanically and in it’s applications, which span the beauty and wellness industry, spiritual and religious use. Myrrh has been used since the times of ancient Egypt and Babylon but has not been studied intensively as it grows in remote, politically unstable regions of the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. The researchers, led by Anjanette DeCarlo and Stephen Johnson, founders of Save Frankincense documented the ecological health, cultural practices and supply chain.

I photographed and wrote a piece for the AP News on the impact of the climate crisis on myrrh trees, and the communities which rely on them. The piece has been subsequently republished by the Boston Globe, PBS, the Washington Times, Houston Chronicle, Bastille Post (Hong Kong) and others.

AP Article

Many thanks to Alyssa Goodman at the AP Climate and Environment Desk for picking up the story and patiently working with me to bring it to life.