Socio-administrative conservation and collection practices of the sacred Thal Kedar forest, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

The long-lasting association of humans with the forest is directly linked to the livelihood of natives without cultures, traditions, and beliefs. A survey conducted for the phytodiversity of the sacred Thal Kedar forest, Uttarakhand, India, reveals it as a center of spiritual approach and controlled by moral values rather than regulatory norms for conservation and sustainable benefits. Detailed investigation via group discussions, key informant interviews, observation of participants, and secondary data collection deciphers that the sacred forest plays a potential role in the food and health of the people, both at the local and regional levels. In the present survey, we found that local people are effectively controlled and guided to use all resources through moral duty, beliefs, and worship rituals, an inherited practice for ecological protection, and honesty to the Deity. Forest tourism based on holy baths, a current social demand, has been emerging as a sustainable job for local youths but requires stringent parallel administrative supervision along the established social norms to avoid any materialistic mind deeds to the sacred forest. The impact of climate change and the shift of various species to higher elevations is a matter of advanced strategy to the policymakers to preserve the floristic diversity of the sacred Thal Kedar forest.