PREVIOUS
✖
Community Forest Conservation - Bundelkhand Forests
July 29 , 2026
16 hrs 0 min
13
0
- A 2026 study found that sacred groves (Devsthalis) in Bundelkhand (Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) preserve greater biodiversity than nearby degraded forests despite lacking legal protection.
- Sacred groves recorded 70–72 plant species, compared with 40–51 species in nearby degraded forests, including several medicinal plants.
- These community-protected forests are conserved through traditional beliefs, with tribal and Dalit women playing a key role in protecting biodiversity.
- Major threats include land encroachment, mining, changing religious practices, and lack of legal recognition.
- In December 2024, the Supreme Court directed a nationwide survey of sacred groves and recommended recognising local communities as custodians under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
Leave a Reply
Your Comment is awaiting moderation.