Cultural dimensions of biodiversity: Sacred Natural Sites

Sacred natural sites have proven importance for the biodiversity conservation in India. Some of the recent policies of biodiversity conservation such as Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Amendments in Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 have created opportunities for the conservation of the SNS in their existing form along with local institutions. The lack of documentation of SNS in the targeted Uttarakhand state will be addressed by the project to be published for the awareness about the potential of these SNS for biodiversity conservation in form of Biodiversity Heritage Sites, Community Reserves, Conservation Reserves. In spite of community- oriented nature of these new conservation policies, the implementation of the policies in the field has not been progressed well. The project will develop the case study of community and conservation reserves in terms of acceptance of the local communities. The project will explore the opportunities for community based biodiversity conservation strategies by involving the local communities and state and central governments. At the same time it will explore the large potential of the SNS in India to be declared as the community conservation areas as defined by the legislative provisions. The publications developed by the project will help make the stakeholders aware about the status and the importance of the SNS in Uttarakhand state.