Introduction

Human – nature relationship from time immemorial is manifested either through massive exploitation of natural resources for the benefit of the mankind, or conservation/maintenance of natural resources through religious/cultural beliefs. This traditional mode of conservation can be best viewed in sacred groves which are usually patches of forests protected by local communities on cultural and religious grounds. Apart from their socio-religious importance, groves are often considered as centres of native biota and providers of valuable ecosystem services (Malhotra et al.2001). Western Ghats, a mountain chain along the west coast of peninsular India, is one of the global biodiversity hotspots. The mountains as well as the narrow strip of west coast alongside it, from northern Maharashtra to southern tip of Kerala, are dotted with numerous sacred groves (Chandran et al. 1998) under different names as per communities and cultures associated with them.

Present day conservation strategy and management often emphasises on sustainable benefits from the conservation so as to promote peoples’ participation (Sunderlin et al. 2005). In the traditional system of sacred grove conservation, religious interests were supreme and market interest was apparently subdued; infact there was in general strict community control on resource utilisation from the groves, barring certain non-timber products.

This paper presents a case study to depict the positive influence in terms of biodiversity and carbon sequestration of long-term protection of a sacred grove - Devaravattikan , Siddapur taluk in the central Western Ghats.