Srinagar, April 17 -- Mulberry trees have long stood outside many Kashmiri homes. Families planted them, fed their leaves to silkworms, and sold the cocoons to meet everyday needs, including schooling.

Over time, this simple tree supported rural households and sustained a local silk economy.

But today, axes bite into those century-old trunks with growing frequency. Every falling tree topples a family's future alongside the gnarled wood. The loss extends beyond shade and timber. Each cut destroys a biological factory that minted money for generations.

Mulberry leaves provide the sole sustenance for silkworms. The equation runs straight: trees feed worms, worms produce cocoons, cocoons become silk, and silk generates earnings. One mature...