Conservation of resources by religious and social prohibitions by Santal communities in South West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT Sacred groves are generally considered as socio-culturally preserved patches of plants primarily managed by tribal groups. Such groves are usually believed to be as the abodes of gods, goddesses, spirits or supernatural artefacts. Generally, they are predominantly worshipped, managed and protected by the tribal groups with religious zeal. Such groves mainly serve as the benchmarks of less disturbed vegetation. Taboos and social prohibitions shield the sacred groves from the destruction caused by human activity. Several relicts, endemic and endangered species have been reported from sacred groves. Depending on such assumption, this paper highlights the conservation and cultural values of the Santal community surrounding the sacred groves of Binpur II block under Jhargram District in West Bengal. The study shows that, in addition to the conservation of 191 species of angiosperms, these groves have certain direct and indirect socio-economic impacts. Therefore, there is an urgent need not only preserve the sacred forest but also revive and reinvent some traditional form of plant conservation.