Stakeholder motivation for the conservation of sacred groves in south India: An analysis of environmental perceptions of rural and urban neighbourhood communities

Sacred groves (SGs) of south India are the local communities' self-enforced spiritual institutions, which contain natural forests and swamps. Thus, the communities' faith in traditional rituals and local deities are important for their existence. SGs preserve cultural practices of ethnic communities and conserve biodiversity. Although most of these groves can be found in rural areas, rapid urban annexation is changing their landscapes. We hypothesise that the landscape type (rural versus urban) and the deity type of the SGs among other factors might affect the communities' spiritual and environmental perceptions of SGs. This study was conducted in rural highlands of the Western Ghats in Kodagu and adjoining urban lowlands in Kasaragod. We found that the urban communities valued SGs, not only for their spiritual importance but also for their environmental merits. Both urban and rural communities were cautious enough not to access or abuse the SGs. This behaviour also depended on the deity that was housed in the SG. SGs that housed highly revered deities (eg. naga) were seldom abused. The religious adherence was prominent especially in rural communities, so much so that the habitat quality of the SGs could be predicted based on the deity that was worshipped there. Apart from these spiritual influences, SGs are influenced by economic (coffee industry in Kodagu) and societal pressures. Sanskritization of deities or change in faith, construction of temples, land encroachments, and changes in the neighbouring societies also negatively affect the SGs. Since the SGs receive reverence on the power of the local deities, governmental bodies must discourage the Sanskritization of local deities and construction of temples. Considering the historical, biological, and cultural importance of SGs, the policies governing them is necessary to ensure that SGs stay intact.