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<p>Sacred Groves (SGs) and undisturbed forest patches play a critical role in biodiversity conservation, reflecting indigenous communities’ cultural and spiritual ties to local deities and ancestral spirits. These groves harbor rare, endemic, and threatened (RET) flora, including medicinal plants vital to traditional healing. This study explores the role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in conserving biodiversity within SGs of Jungle Mahal, West Bengal, India, focusing on ethnomedicinal practices and sustainable plant use. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), ecological surveys, and literature reviews, supplemented by questionnaires. Plant specimens were identified and categorized using the IUCN Red List, and their medicinal importance was analyzed using indices like use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF), and fidelity level (FL), with interrelationships visualized via chord diagrams. Across 27 Sacred Groves, 71 plant species were identified, including 56 medicinal tree species from 27 botanical families. Of these, 1 species was Vulnerable (VU), 2 Endangered (EN), and 2 Near Threatened (NT). Sal (Shorea robusta) had the highest use value (1.8), highlighting its significance in food, medicine, and cultural practices. TEK aids disease treatment, with 20 species showing 100% fidelity, such as Azadirachta indica (Neem) for liver disorders and skin ailments. Sacred groves, as repositories of medicinal plants and cultural heritage, provide critical ecological services like biodiversity conservation, pollination, and aquifer recharge. This research highlights the importance of in-situ conservation to sustain ecological balance and preserve indigenous knowledge systems for future generations.</p>

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Preserving biodiversity through culture: the role of sacred groves in medicinal plant conservation in Jungle Mahal, West Bengal, India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月22日

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  • Nilanjana Das Chatterjee,
  • Asima Senapati,
  • Santanu Dinda

摘要

Sacred Groves (SGs) and undisturbed forest patches play a critical role in biodiversity conservation, reflecting indigenous communities’ cultural and spiritual ties to local deities and ancestral spirits. These groves harbor rare, endemic, and threatened (RET) flora, including medicinal plants vital to traditional healing. This study explores the role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in conserving biodiversity within SGs of Jungle Mahal, West Bengal, India, focusing on ethnomedicinal practices and sustainable plant use. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), ecological surveys, and literature reviews, supplemented by questionnaires. Plant specimens were identified and categorized using the IUCN Red List, and their medicinal importance was analyzed using indices like use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF), and fidelity level (FL), with interrelationships visualized via chord diagrams. Across 27 Sacred Groves, 71 plant species were identified, including 56 medicinal tree species from 27 botanical families. Of these, 1 species was Vulnerable (VU), 2 Endangered (EN), and 2 Near Threatened (NT). Sal (Shorea robusta) had the highest use value (1.8), highlighting its significance in food, medicine, and cultural practices. TEK aids disease treatment, with 20 species showing 100% fidelity, such as Azadirachta indica (Neem) for liver disorders and skin ailments. Sacred groves, as repositories of medicinal plants and cultural heritage, provide critical ecological services like biodiversity conservation, pollination, and aquifer recharge. This research highlights the importance of in-situ conservation to sustain ecological balance and preserve indigenous knowledge systems for future generations.