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Mangroves as Sacred Forests: Connecting People and Nature

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  • Sabrina Dookie
Sabrina Dookie
University of Guyana
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3197/whppp.63876246815917

Published 2025-12-16

Keywords

  • mangrove ecosystems,
  • mangrove forests,
  • sacred forests,
  • sacred groves,
  • traditional ecological knowledge

How to Cite

Dookie, Sabrina. 2025. “Mangroves As Sacred Forests: Connecting People and Nature”. Plant Perspectives, December. https://doi.org/10.3197/whppp.63876246815917.

Copyright (c) 2024 Sabrina Dookie

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Mangroves are complex ecosystems that possess cultural, spiritual and traditional importance. In both the eastern and western hemispheres, these forests are considered sacred and are protected and revered by numerous indigenous communities. This article examines the global prevalence of sacred mangrove forests and outlines their benefits across various contexts and paradigms. Sacred mangrove forests, due to the reverence in which they are held and their protected status, offer more efficient ecological functions and outputs than traditional mangrove forests affected by anthropogenic stresses. They offer various advantages, including enhanced pollination, species conservation and improved nutrient cycle regulation, and serve as a repository for plants of medicinal significance. The revision of policies on the protection status of mangroves, combined with the integration of co-management strategies that incorporate shared traditional ecological knowledge and governance, can position sacred mangrove forests as a catalyst for conservation, promoting biodiversity, and benefiting dependent communities.

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