International Research Journal of Environment Sciences________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414Vol. 3(9), 80-86, September (2014) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 80 Floral Diversity Conservation through Sacred Groves in Koraput District, Odisha, India: A Case StudyPanda Debabrata, Bisoi Sidhanta Sekhar and Palita Sharat K. Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources, Central University of Orissa, Koraput-764 020, INDIAAvailable online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 26th July 2014, revised 27th August 2014, accepted 18th September 2014 AbstractThe tribal dominated Koraput district of Odisha has rich tradition of nature conservation through cultural and religious practices. Though maximum number of sacred groves has been reported from Koraput, there is hardly any scientific documentation of plant species in them. The present study has documented floral diversity and uses of 94 sacred plant species distributed in 63 genera belonging to 43 different families from 6 different sacred groves in a systematic manner. Most of the plant species are distributed under Caesalpiniaceae followed by Asteraceae and Combretaceae. The plant species are distributed in 48 trees, 26 shrubs and 21 herbs. Many of the plant species are used as herbal medicines (39%) by the tribals followed by religious importance (23 %), and food (13 %) plants. Some existing threats related to the sacred groves as well as plants under threat categories have also been recorded. While only plant species Pterocarpus santalinus comes under IUCN endangered category and 3 species of plants Shorea robusta, Buchanania lanzan and Woodfordia fruticosa comes under low risk and least concern categories whereas 6 species are under least concern category. The plants under vulnerable categories are Ageratum conyzoides, Dalbergia latifolia, Delonix regia, Pterocarpus marsupium, Santalum album and Saraca asoca. Thus, for assessing the ecological role of sacred grooves and formulating strategies for their conservation, a holistic understanding of their structure and function as well as their current status is essential. Keywords: Biodiversity conservation, herbal medicines, floral diversity, sacred groves. Introduction Sacred groves are tracts of virgin forest harbouring rich biodiversity and are protected by local communities to keep them in a relatively undisturbed state. These are the small patches of relic forest, protected by local communities on religious ground, which are the traditional Indian way of in situconservation of biodiversity. Various indigenous communities dedicate sacred grooves to the local deities or ancestral spirits. Such a grove may consist of a multi-species, multi-tier primary forest or a cluster of trees, depending on the history of the vegetation. These groves were protected by local communities, usually through customary taboos and sanctions with cultural and ecological implications. Many rare and endemic wild plant species having potential benefit to man in medicine, agriculture and industry have been preserved in sacred grooves. Sacred grooves are the good source of a variety of medicinal plants, fruits, fodder, fuel wood, spices, etc.3,4. In India, the sacred groves were reported earlier from the Himalayas, North-east India, highlands of Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, particularly where the indigenous communities live. The floristic and ethno-botanical aspects of sacred grooves in India has been dealt by earlier workers4-9. Several plants and animals that are threatened in the forest are still well conserved in some of the sacred groves. It has been observed that several medicinal plants that are not to be found in the forest are abundant in the sacred groves. Further, rare, endangered, threatened and endemic species are often concentrated in sacred groves. The sacredness, religious beliefs and taboos play a significant role in promoting sustainable utilization and conservation of flora and fauna of the region. However, with the passage of time, considerable changes have taken place in the extent of the sacred groves, in their vegetation structure, peoples’ perception towards them. Koraput district of Odisha, India is the home for a number of tribal communities and all have their own culture, customs, traditions and practices in connection with the rituals of their life cycle. The religious beliefs of the tribals are specific to each group. Among most of the tribes, the deities are believed to reside in sacred groves and even the village goddesses are worshipped under a tree at the outskirts of the village. They show utmost respect to these places and preserve them like precious treasure10. The maximum number, 322 sacred groves, were recorded from Semiliguda block of Koraput district. The biodiversity studies of sacred groves of Koraput district by earlier workers are incomplete and scanty and there is a lack of systematic study on floral diversity and its importance of sacred groves. Keeping in view of above points, the present paper deals with the systematic study on floral diversity and its importance of some selected sacred groves of Koraput, Odisha.