While sacred groves (forest fragments protected for religious reasons) are widely acknowledged to have a beneficial effect on biodiversity conservation, the ecological benefits of individual sacred trees remain unknown. Fig trees are present as sacred trees in humandominated landscapes across South Asia and are considered keystone species for wildlife in tropical forests.

Humans have been cutting Ethiopian forests for fuel and agriculture for centuries. Only about 35,000 fragments remain in the northern highlands, ranging in size from 3 to 300 hectares. These fragments escaped deforestation because of their religious and spiritual importance; they are protected by, and are an integral part of, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. (Letter)