Traditional Forest Management

Sacred trees and sacred groves

Indian consciousness is full of trees and forests. Trees were traditionally looked upon as living beings, not simply as sources of firewood, fruits and fodder. Felling or hurting a tree was therefore considered a crime. And tree planting was considered a great act of charity. Shade trees such as mango, neem or banyan trees were planted along the roads.

India is one of the few countries in the world where tree worship has remained alive. All trees and plants have been associated with local Hindu gods and hence, are sacred and worthy of being worshipped. For example, the Neem tree is a highly revered tree because it is considered to be a manifestation of "Goddess Durga" or "Maa Kali". Therefore, on the first day of Chaitra, after Amavasya, it is very essential to worship the neem and eat its leaves, mixed with pepper and sugar for protection against fever.

India abounds with such rituals associated with trees and each of them has a hidden scientific truth.

Thanks to this age-old tradition of revering trees, many ancient trees have survived to this day. Today, they stand as silent symbols of India's tradition of valuing trees.

The bond between Indian people and forests is very strong. According to ancient traditions, villages had to preserve sections of forests for specific needs. First was the impenetrable Mahavana or Great Forest where nobody dared to venture. In the Mahavana, nature was left to itself without human interference. Second was the Tapovana where sages dwelt and meditated. The presence of holy persons guaranteed the protection of the forest. Third was the Srivana, the forest that surrounded the village. No village was considered complete without woodlands around its houses. In these woodlands managed ecologically to serve the community, useful trees like fruit trees and medicinal plants were planted. And fourth was the Devavana or sacred grove, a patch of forest that was looked after by a temple.

Several interesting indigenous practices of nature conservation appear in the context of traditional forest management. The most interesting is the concept of sacred groves. Sacred groves are patches (the size can vary from a few trees to several acres) of sacred forest that are totally or partially immune from human interference on ground of religious beliefs. There are sacred groves dedicated to local deities. And there are temple groves created around a temple. The most important ecological significance of sacred groves is the conservation of biodiversity (floral and faunal diversity). They are often the last endemic species in a region.

Another interesting Indian concept of nature conservation is the Panchavati. The term Panchavati refers to a group of five trees (in the Indian worldview, five is a cardinal number; it stands for the entirety) which are particularly important and well represented in a given ecosystem. Panchavati is a custom to ensure that trees are planted, grown and looked after in the society. It makes us conscious of the importance of preserving trees. The tradition of Panchavati is found all over India.

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