The Effects of Sacred Groves on Environmental Rehabilitation & Human Health

In sites such as India, Africa, and Southeast Asia, sacred groves – patches of forests considered sacred for religious or spiritual reasons – have historically been crucial to the preservation of biodiversity. This paper analyzes the ecological and health effects of sacred groves with an emphasis on environmental rehabilitation and human well-being. Ethnobotanical surveys, ecological and health data were synthesized to demonstrate that sacred groves act as important reservoirs of biodiversity, stabilizers of microclimatic conditions, and sources of medicinal plants, contributing to ecosystem services and human health.