Question

What are sacred groves? What is their role in conservation?

Answer 1

Sacred groves are sacred tracts which are held in high esteem by local communities.
The sacred groves are dedicated to local deities or ancestral spirits and are protected by local communities through social traditions and taboos that incorporate spiritual and ecological values.
Sacred groves represent native vegetation in a natural or near natural state and are thus, rich in biodiversity and harbour many rare species of plants and animals.
Such sacred groves are found in Meghalaya (Khasi and Jaintia hills), Aravalli hills of Rajasthan, Western Ghats, regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh (Bastar, Chanda and Sarguja region).