New Delhi (20.09.2025): The Uttarakhand Forest Department has documented 161 Sacred Natural Sites (SNS) identified across the state which include sacred forests, groves, high-altitude meadows, and lakes. Out of these 161 SNS, 83 are sacred forests, 62 sacred groves, 12 alpine meadows, and four revered high-altitude water bodies — Nandi Kund (15,748 ft), Satopnath Taal (15,100 ft), Hemkund Sahib (14,200 ft), and Kak Bhusandi Taal (14,763 ft).

The one-year project was conducted under the guidance of Chief Conservator of Forests Sanjiv Chaturvedi in 2024.  Chaturvedi. said, "This is the first systematic scientific documentation of Uttarakhand's sacred natural sites that goes beyond groves and includes lakes and bugyals. As the state navigates, the challenges of development and environmental change, sacred groves offer a beacon — a model demonstrating that safeguarding nature begins with respect, reverence, and community stewardship,"  

Manoj Singh, Yogesh Tripathi and Dikshit Pathak from the forest department’s research wing conducted field surveys, GPS mapping, ecological assessments, and ethnobotanical documentation. The study recorded 147 plant species from 47 families, including rare and endangered plants like Picrorhiza kurrooa, Trillium govanianum, and Saussurea obvallata.

These sacred groves play vital ecological roles — they regulate microclimates, conserve water, prevent soil erosion, and provide safe habitats for rare flora and fauna in a changing environment.

At least 46 sacred groves were mapped in Garhwal including Ulkagadi temple in Pauri, Anusuya Devi in Chamoli, Surkanda Devi and Chandrabandi temple in Tehri, Latu Devta in Chamoli, and Tungnath in Rudraprayag. They all are rooted in alpine forests. The region hosts sacred sites like Rudranath, Madhmaheshwar, and Hemkund Sahib, known for both spiritual pilgrimage and endangered alpine plants.

Kumaon has over 90 sacred groves, largely protected under traditional van panchayats. Key sites include Dhwaj in Pithoragarh, Jageshwar temple forest in Almora, Hat Kalika Temple’s oak-pine forests, and the grove near Golu Devta temples. Champawat’s Hingla Devi forest is among the densest oak groves, while Thal Kedar in Pithoragarh — Uttarakhand’s first biodiversity heritage site — hosts over 200 medicinal plant species.

 These sites face pressures from tourism, encroachment, grazing, fuelwood collection, and declining traditional beliefs among youth. Sacred groves near tourist hubs such as Tapkeshwar and Sahastradhara are already showing signs of ecological stress.

The study recommends formally including SNS in forest management and biodiversity conservation plans, empowering local communities — especially women and youth — through participatory management, and combining traditional reverence with modern conservation tools.