2. SACRED GROVES -CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY THROUGH TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE- A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED AREAS OF MANDVI TEHSIL OF KACHCHH DISTRICT, GUJARAT by GADHAVI, CHETAN D.1 AND MEHTA, P.K.2

Abstract

Biodiversity is an umbrella term uses for all living organism on this planet. It includes different animals and plants, birds and microorganism, their gens, their habitats and the entire ecosystem. In today’s era over increasing population, uses of no-renewable energy sources and various kinds’ pollution have harmed the nature well. Furthermore habitat alteration, over exploitation, introduction of exotic species has also threaded the global biologically resources. Sacred groves are the fine example of in-situ conservation of biodiversity. The sacred grove are tracts of virgin forest with rich biodiversity, which have been protected by local people for the centuries for their culture and religious belief and taboos that the deities resides in them and protected the villagers from different calamities.  Sacred grove acts as an ideal center for biodiversity conservation. Various plants and animals that are threatened in the forest are still well conserved in some of sacred patches. It has been found that some several medicinal plants and are not to be observed in forest are abundant in sacred groves. Due to our religious value, mythological value and taboo play a significant role in promoting sustainable utilization and conservation of flora and fauna of the region. This present Paper deals with the information of sacred groves and total 14 sacred groves were recorded from various location of Mandvi tehsil of Kachchhh district, India.