What are sacred groves and their role in biodiversity conservation ?

Explanation

Sacred groves are sacred tracts which are held in high esteem by local communities.
The sacred groves are dedicated to local deities or ancestral spirits and are protected by local communities through social traiditions and taboos that incorporate spiritual and ecological values.
Sacred groves represent native vegetation in a natural or near natural state and as thus, rich in biodiversity and harbour many rare species of plants and animals.
Such sacred groves are found in Meghalaya (Khasi and Jaintia hills), Aravalli hills of Rajasthan, Western Ghats, regions of Karnatka and Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh (Bastar, Chandra and Sarguja region).