<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">Socio-cultural and ethnobotanical value of a sacred forest, <i>Thal Ke Dhar, </i>central Himalaya </span>

Abstract

<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">The sacred groves/forests have in the recent years drawn the attention of the environmentalists due to their undisturbed conditions, which enable them to be repository of gene pools. Apart from environmental significance the sacred groves are

<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">also indicative of the phenomenon of ethno environmental management. It is a social institution which permits management of biotic resources through people's participation. Unfortunately the social significance of the sacred groves has not been

<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">studied in depth and the environmental aspects are inevitably over emphasized. The present study deals with the traditional beliefs and social institutions surrounding the sacred forest- <i>Thai Ke Dhar </i>and makes an attempt to bring out the inherent

<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">environmental principles behind the conservation practices. In addition, the forest was assessed for its ethnobotanical value to the local herbalists and traditional folk medicine practitioners. Pragmatic approaches combining conservation and

<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">sustainable uses are considered as are traditional values that have preserved the sacred groves in the past. Integration of traditional values and protection mechanisms into the newly emerging cultural and religious contexts has been emphasized.

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