Role of Community in Grove Management - An Appraisal of Sacred Groves of Aravalli Hills in Haryana Sub-Region, NCR

Ajay Sudharsan L, Srinidhi Hariharan, Shivendu Kumar, Ritik Roushan, Kumud Dhanwantri

Abstract: Sacred groves are the forests which are protected under traditional practices by any ethnic group with special cultural or religious significance. While the sacred groves of the western ghats, the Himalayas and the North east, have been studied widely, the groves in the northern and central India are relatively unknown. This study is pertained to the sacred groves present in the ranges of Aravalli hills, in the Mangar village of Faridabad district, in the Ferozpur Jhirka village of Mewat district, in the Manesar village, Gurugram district of Haryana, India. The study attempts to assess the hypothesis that the higher the role of community in the grove management, the better the management of groves and More number of indigenous species in grove leads to better delivery of ecosystem services.

Keywords: community, conservation, sacred groves, deterioration