question_answer 7)

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

Answer:

Sacred grooves are sacred forest patches around places of forest. In such cases, nature is protected by prevailing religious and cultural traditions. Here tracts of forests are set aside and all plants and animals are venerated and provided with complete protection. Some examples of sacred groves are Khasi and Jaintia hills in Meghalaya, Aravali hills in Rajasthan, Western Ghat regions of Kamataka, Maharashtra and Sargiya, Chanda and Bastar areas of M.P. In Sikkim, Khecheopalri lake is declared sacred lake by people, thus protecting the aquatic flora and fauna. Many rare and threatened plants have been protected in sacred groves of Meghalaya. Such areas have been found to be most undisturbed and they are usually surrounded by most degraded landscapes.