Odisha’s Sacred Groves Shrink Despite Protections

Why this is here: Residents identified 28 different plant species harvested from the sacred groves for medicinal and religious purposes.

Researchers interviewed 148 people in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, India to assess the condition of local sacred groves. These groves, protected for centuries due to cultural beliefs, are decreasing in size according to nearly all residents. Villages worship a forest god and maintain rules against commercial harvesting within the groves, while still using 28 plant species for medicine and religious rituals.

The study found the practice of protecting sacred groves extends across several tribal and caste groups. Residents report roads and new settlements contribute to the groves’ shrinking size, with one 70-year-old expressing concern for future generations.

Researchers note many sacred groves in Odisha remain unmapped, and a formal conservation framework is needed. Without these traditional beliefs, the forests would likely be gone, but continued study is necessary to fully understand and protect them.