Khasis in Meghalaya help in environmental regeneration

Orans are tracts of village land believed to be protectea by local deities, They are much more than just 'sacred groves; they are the ecological core of the area, supporting a storehouse

The Apatanis manage their forests well. So, they never have to buy wood from markets

10 years ago, Down To Earth reported on the state of sacred groves in India see: Down To Earth, January 31, 1994 . Patches of forest protected

Both India and China are ancient civilisations possessing characteristic indigenous knowledge of conservation of natural ecosystems. The Chinese have recognised the potential of traditional knowledge and regard religious forests as an asset and an importa

FIVE YEARS ago, the social forestry department in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra cleared several trees from a forest near Nandivse village to plant acacia trees. It did not know that the 4-ha patch was a sacred grove surrounding the temple of a powerful local deity, Kal Bhairon. The villagers, too, joined in because they were paid for the felling and planting.