Biodiversity Conservation in Sacred Natural Sites
Summary
Sacred Natural Sites are landscapes or habitat fragments imbued with spiritual significance by local, Indigenous or traditional communities. Across continents—from church forests in Ethiopia to sacred groves in India and shrines in Greece—these sites serve as informal sanctuaries for native flora and fauna. Protected by customary norms, taboos and ritual observances, they often retain higher levels of species richness and structural complexity than surrounding lands. Their conservation value extends beyond species counts: they foster ecological connectivity, maintain soil and water regimes, and support cultural identity and wellbeing. Recent discourse highlights the need to integrate sacred sites within broader protected-area networks and landscape planning, ensuring that customary governance systems and biocultural values inform management. Sustaining the integrity of Sacred Natural Sites can yield co-benefits for biodiversity, climate resilience and cultural continuity, especially as global change pressures intensify.
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Biodiversity Conservation in Sacred Natural Sites publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biodiversity conservation in sacred natural sites across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Sacred Natural Site: A place of spiritual or religious significance traditionally protected by local or Indigenous communities, often harbouring high biodiversity.
Instrumental values: Benefits derived from nature in functional or material terms, such as water provision or fuelwood.
Relational values: Non-material connections and ethical obligations between people and the environment, often manifested through rituals or taboos.
Biocultural conservation: An approach that recognises the interdependence of biological diversity and cultural practices, aiming to protect both.
Sociocultural valuation: Methods to elicit and quantify how different groups value ecosystem services or cultural benefits, guiding inclusive management.
References
- Protected spring and sacred forest institutions at the instrumental — relational value interface. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (2023).
- Integrating biocultural conservation and sociocultural valuation in the management of sacred forests: What values are important to the public?. People and Nature (2023).
- Quantifying the conservation value of Sacred Natural Sites. Biological Conservation (2018).
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