Preserving India’s Sacred Groves | 09 Dec 2024

Why in News?

Sacred groves actively support biodiversity and function as carbon sinks, but growing threats jeopardize their existence.

• Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh are among the states that are rich in sacred groves.

Key Points

• About Sacred Groves:
  • Sacred Groves are patches of natural or near-natural vegetation, dedicated by local communities to their ancestral spirits or deities.
  • They are known as sarnas in Jharkhand, devgudis in Chhattisgarh, and orans in Rajasthan.
  • These groves vary in size, ranging from small clusters of trees to large areas spanning several acres. Some consist of a single sacred tree, like the sal tree in Jharkhand.
  • Sacred groves have been legally protected under ‘community reserves’ in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002.
    • Community Reserves are areas designated for conservation that involve direct participation from local communities in preserving natural resources and wildlife.
• Extent and Distribution:
  • Sacred groves occupy an estimated 33,000 hectares, accounting for just 0.01% of India's total land area.
  • India has well over 13,000 documented sacred groves. The states particularly rich in abundance of groves are Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu.
    • Maharashtra leads with nearly 3,000 documented sacred groves.
• Biodiversity and Cultural Significance:
  • Sacred groves are biodiverse areas that hold immense ecological value.
  • Tribal communities have worshipped and maintained a deep connection with these groves.
  • They historically symbolized environmental conservation, guided by spiritual codes codified in customary rules and governance systems.
• Role in Climate Goals:
  • Sacred groves contribute to climate change mitigation by acting as natural carbon sinks.
  • Their preservation is vital for achieving India’s net-zero target by 2070, alongside government-owned forests.
  • Effective management of groves can maintain the human-nature bond and prevent community alienation caused by relocation.
• Role of Sacred Groves in Biodiversity Conservation:
  • A sacred grove in Raigad district, Maharashtra, conserved by the Waghoba Habitat Foundation, recently saw the return of a leopard, indicating ecological recovery.
• Conservation Approach:
  • OECM:
    • Sacred groves align with the "Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures" (OECM) approach under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
    • Groves are managed by communities, integrating cultural values into biodiversity conservation.
    • OECM ensures long-term conservation outcomes, preserving biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
  • Government Initiatives:
    • Gherabandi in Jharkhand was introduced in 2019 to protect sacred groves by building boundary walls.
    • Renovation Projects in Chhattisgarh were introduced to restore groves were undertaken during the previous government.
      • Due to lack of community involvement in conservation schemes and prioritization of reserved forests often neglect sacred groves.