“Not a Single Leaf Is Meant to be Taken With You”: Conservation Motivations and Belief Systems in a Khasi Sacred Landscape of Meghalaya, India

Abstract

This study explores the Mawphlang Sacred Forest in Meghalaya, a northeastern state of India, as a living example of communityled conservation embedded in cultural beliefs and ritual practices. Through qualitative fieldwork involving key informant interviews and focus group discussions, the research documents how spiritual reverence, sacred taboos, and customary norms shape conservation behavior. The forest, governed through ancestral authority and protected by ritual sanctions, illustrates a culturally embedded model of environmental stewardship that complements formal governance approaches. It supports the local community not only through ecosystem services such as spring water and medicinal flora but also by providing income from eco-tourism and cultural heritage. The study further highlights the community's role in stewardship, intergenerational knowledge transmission, and shared responsibility for ecological welfare. These findings highlight the relevance of culturally rooted conservation systems, while acknowledging the need for broader integration and contextual evaluation. The Mawphlang case adds to the understanding of integrative conservation in ecologically and culturally rich regions.

Keywords

community conservation / cultural governance / Meghalaya / ritual ecology / Sacred forest

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RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2026 The Author(s). Integrative Conservation published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG).