Importance of sacred grove in watershed management system

Transcription

1 Importance of sacred grove in watershed management system Rajasri Ray, M.D.Subash Chandran and TVRamachandra T.V.Ramachandra Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore gao , Karnataka ata a

2 The concept of Sacred Nature is prevalent almost in every country from each continent. Folk cultural and religious believes are closely associated with nature and natural resources. Sacred groves are associated with Sacred Natural Sites (SNS) IUCN defined SNS as natural area of special spiritual significance to peoples and communities. They include natural areas recognized as sacred by indigenous and traditional peoples and instituionalised religions or faiths as places for worship and remembrance. Origin of sacred grove May be associated itdwith arrival of agriculture dtd dated approx. 3-4 millennia ago in the highlands.

3 Sacred groves are patches of vegetation devoted to deities. InIndia,groves mostly associated with mountains although lowland groves are also found. Sacred groves are nowadays considered as notable example of community based nature conservation. Groves conserved native biodiversity in addition to soil, water conservation and rendered other ecosystem services. Livelihood support and religious-cultural heritages are other important aspects related to sacred groves. Groves, mostly associated with perennial water bodies like streams, ponds, lakes, wells etc. serve as valuable resource for nearby localities in terms of water supply in lean season.

4 In India, sacred groves often represent old growth forests mostly evergreen or semi ever-green in nature. In ancient time, they were characterised by their larger area. They are distinguished by denser canopy, rare and endemic ground vegetation, good litter cover and humus. The environmental system of groves, and their location in higher spots enhance their watershed value.

5 Groves in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Assam, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu are well documented along with their associated water bodies. In most of these states except Rajasthan groves are part of the watershed system. Many perennial streams are generated from these groves which serve as important water resource for surrounding areas throughout the year. In a typical watershed, groves usually present in the upstream or middle region, representing typical forest vegetation and ecosystem. It is due to their geographical location they have immense impact on Run offand Soilerosion control Soil water storage Providing microenvironment for diverse group of organisms Fresh water supply

6 Research findings indicate that, factors like canopy cover, stem flow, ground vegetation, litterfall and species diversity have prevalent role in controlling run-off and soil erosion. Canopy cover intercepts the rainfall so that the raindrop impact minimizes efficiently. The extent of canopy cover, its multilayered distribution and branching pattern of individual trees have ample influence on throughfall, stemflow and run-off generation Ground vegetation like herbs, seedlings and saplings of shrubs and trees acts as effective hindrance for free flowing water. It reduces the scattering effect of the run-off so that chances of soil erosion also get minimized.

7 Litterfall mostly consists of leaves, twigs, flowers and fruits among which leaves form the major mass. Leaf litter either in intact form or in semi-decomposed condition can hold a major amount of moisture. Plants with their fine surface roots create a complex network over the ground which provide mechanical strength to bind the soil particles thus, preventing soil erosion. In combination, all these factors jointly develop a In an old forest system, thick roots course surface of the trees often act as natural feature which provide additional barriers against the erosive power protection to the of the water. soil inside the forest.

8 Studies confirm the idea that, groves control runoff and soil erosion. Studies in Mawsmai forests at Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya) have suggested that, due to restriction on tree cutting, soil erosion and nutrient wash out are controlled efficiently which eventually help to stabilise the local ecosystem. In contrast to that, soils of the surrounding areas are devoid of nutrients due to wash out of the top soils which could be the result of uncontrolled runoff flow over the tree less area. Photo : Down to Earth In another study in Mawphlang sacred grove (Meghalaya), there is a clear indication of increasing land slide and flood events due to rapid deforestation ti and quarrying for stone, limestone and other construction materials under grove area. Photo: Community Forestry International

9 Soil water storage Soil moisture maintenance Grove forests with their rich litter cover and less compact soils help to retain the soil moisture comparatively longer time. Eventually, good canopy cover facilitates moisture retention by covering the forest floor from solar radiation. Ground water recharge Many grove forests are associated with low lands which store water in rainy season, thus, forming ponds or pools. This stored water eventually permeates through the soil and recharging the ground water level. Swamp land Swamps are wetlands with fairly deep water and high ground water level. Due to their closeness to the ground water level, they have a role to channel runoff into the groundwater supply.

10 Photo: Poffenberger, IUCN, 2000 Karneswar Sacred grove in Rajasthan Manasha Than in West Bengal Important water source for local community and other animals during lean season

11 Spectrum of life Due to this water retention potential, groves create varied micro-environments which support diverse life forms ranging from higher to lower groups of plants, different types of fauna (amphibians, insects butterflies, molluscs etc.

12 Fresh water supply - Rich litter layer + Good ground vegetation Less compact soil + No fertiliser, chemicals The vegetation and soils of forests and wetlands have a remarkable capacity to filter out contaminants and trap sediments. + In sacred grove area, the socioreligious restriction over entry, biomass exploitation, soil disturbance etc. help to maintain the filtering service uninterruptedly. + Less disturbance Clear Drinking water Due to their natural status, presence of fertilizers, chemical contaminants are nil in grove area.

13 SOME MAJOR THREATS Anthropogenic Natural Deforestation Biological Invasion Sanskritisation Photo : Down to Earth Land conversion Fragmentation Developmental activities

14 Scientific interest in sacred grove tradition Ecological and Environmental studies on sacred grove are poorly represented in comparison to the inventory, documentation, conservation measures, management and social-anthropologicalanthropological dimensions The interrelationship between sacred grove / forest and local hydrology could play amajor role in local level watershed management issue as well as biodiversity conservation. Toaddress this issue, we have initiated a study in central western ghat region, to estimate the water conservation potential of these groves in comparison to the other areas. Stream flow Ground water Stream network analysis, soil character, groundwater recharge and grove area are few important parameters taken for this study. Local usage

15 Preliminary observations Grove associated streams have higher water level in comparison to the other areas like secondary forests and barren lands. Groundwater level is higher in grove associated catchment and valleys. Local levell survey on water availability and utilization pattern shows clear distinction between two zones.

16 Thanks for your attention