16 Worldview s and Integra tion RCE Kodagu: Sacred Groves of Kodagu – A Tradition to Conserve 108 Shyamala Mani RCE Kodagu Kodagu District in the state of Karnataka in southern India covers an area of 4106 sq. km. and has a population of 5,45,000. A large part of the district lies in the Western Ghats, one of the most complex and fragile ecosystems in the world. A third of the district is reserved and protected forest controlled by the government, and an almost equal area has private forests, coffee and other plantations. The population of Kodagu includes local indigenous communities, permanent migrants and floating population from other areas. RCE Kodagu consists of several core organisations with the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) playing the coordinating role and Samvruddi Trust’s and Nirmala Kodagu assisting CEE in the coordination work. The active members of RCE Kodagu include Nirmala Kodagu, Samvruddi Trust and the Kodagu Model Forest Trust (KMFT), which comprises Forestry College, Centre for Environment Education (CEE), Coorg Wildlife Society (CWS), Coorg Foundation, Coffee Board, Skanda Coffee,Tata Coffee and more. Among the other members of RCE Kodagu are, EMBARK, Coorg Public School, District Administration, Deputy Director of Public Instruction, All India Radio Madikeri. In the Kodagu Heritage Interpretation Programme (KHIP) the specific activities relating to high school and college teachers’ training are coordinated by Forestry College; the coordination of eco-clubs and teacher training in primary and middle schools is done by CEE; Nirmala Kodagu along with the DDPI, handles conservation education; establishment of rain centre and training Ecodevelopment Committees (EDCs) is CWS’s responsibility; Eco-tourism-related actions are coordinated by CEE along with CWS and the Eco-tourism committee of KMFT; Samvruddi coordinates health education and the women’s self-help group programmes; and besides EMBARK coordinates all youth activities. The sacred groves revival process – initiated by stakeholders like the Kodagu Model Forest Trust, Forest Department, temple committees, research institutions and NGOs through various public awareness programmes, seminars, training and interaction programmes involving students, stakeholders and media – has helped revive the value of these important biodiversity hotspots in the district. The College of Forestry and Kodagu Model Forest Trust have been actively involved in the revival programme. RCE Kodagu has played an important part in emphasising the role of sacred groves in biodiversity conservation through education programmes in schools and educational institutions. It is now felt that the landscape that was under threat due to invasive tourism, changing land use patterns, excessive exploitation of natural resources, loss of biodiversity in coffee plantations, encroachment of village level common property resources and loss of traditional values can be protected through sustained and innovative education programmes. Education in educational institutions combined with sacred groves festivals and media campaigns throughout the district would help revive a disappearing tradition while protecting and conserving biodiversity. Background The tradition of protecting and worshipping forests, water bodies, plants and animals in the name of gods was a common practice that was followed in most parts of the world. What began as nature worship underwent several transformations and has either been totally lost or is in the process of destruction. This practice is still prevalent among a few ethnic groups in the world today. India is one such country where this tradition is still alive but is in the process of diminution. In India the sacred groves tradition is common in most of the states except Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Nagaland, Punjab, and Tripura. Within the states there are certain micro sites where this tradition has been sustained over the years thanks to the support of native communities. One such area where this concept of sacred groves is still surviving in fairly good condition is Kodagu district in Karnataka state of Southern India. Kodagu is the second smallest district of Karnataka and a land of fascinating geographical diversity with forests and hills, rivers and streams cascading through the valleys, pastures and plantations, wildlife sanctuaries and historical monuments. The mountains of Kodagu give rise to rivers such as Cauvery, Kabini, Laxmanathirtha, Ramathirtha and Hemavathi. The physical features vary from the highlands that stretch from the north-west to the south and down the slopes that gradually descend to the plains bordering the districts of Hassan and Mandya in the north-east and east, respectively. Coffee is the major cash crop, with pepper and oranges as intercrop. Agriculture consists of mainly paddy and a few horticultural crops such as
Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity
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