GURUGRAM: The Haryana government has begun a statewide sacred grove identification drive to locate, map, and document ecologically and culturally significant forest patches across the state, officials said on Saturday. The initiative, being carried out by the forest department in coordination with local administrative units, aims to create a structured database of these traditionally protected green spaces to support long-term conservation planning and environmental management.
Officials said the exercise will identify “sacred groves” — small forest patches traditionally preserved by local communities due to religious or cultural beliefs — and record their location, size, ecological features, and associated community practices. These areas are often left undisturbed for generations, helping conserve native flora and fauna.
The drive is currently underway in districts including Gurugram and other parts of Haryana, where field teams are working with local communities to gather information on existing groves. Authorities said community participation is a key part of the process, as many of these forest patches are maintained through informal traditional systems rather than formal legal protection.
According to the forest department, the objective is to build the first comprehensive state-level inventory of sacred groves, which can later be used to guide conservation policy and environmental planning. Officials said the database will help identify areas that require protection, restoration, or integration into existing ecological management frameworks.
Sacred groves are considered ecologically important as they often act as biodiversity hotspots and micro-ecosystems, supporting native plant species, birds, and small wildlife. Environmental experts note that these groves also contribute to soil conservation, groundwater recharge, and local climate regulation, particularly in regions experiencing rapid urbanisation.
The initiative comes at a time when Haryana’s urban and semi-urban regions, especially the Gurugram-Faridabad-Aravalli belt, are facing increasing pressure from infrastructure development and population growth. Environmental concerns have been raised in the past regarding the loss and degradation of green cover in these areas, making the documentation of remaining forest patches a priority for conservation planning.
Officials said the identification drive will also help highlight groves that may be under threat from encroachment, construction activity, or neglect, allowing authorities to consider appropriate protective measures. Once documented, these sites may be assessed for inclusion in conservation programmes depending on their ecological significance and community reliance.
The forest department said Haryana has previously recorded scattered sacred groves, but this is the first systematic attempt to compile a unified state-wide database. Preliminary studies suggest that several such groves exist across districts, though many remain undocumented or lack formal recognition in government records.
Experts have welcomed the initiative, stating that sacred groves represent an important link between traditional conservation practices and modern environmental management. They said formal recognition of these spaces could strengthen efforts to preserve biodiversity in fragmented landscapes, particularly in rapidly developing regions.
Officials said the data collected during the drive will be compiled into a detailed report after the field survey phase is completed. The findings are expected to support future decisions related to land-use planning, conservation policy, and community-based environmental programmes in Haryana.
The initiative is part of broader efforts by the state to improve green cover monitoring and integrate culturally significant ecological sites into formal conservation frameworks.
