What Are Sacred Forests?

Sacred Forests are unique social-ecological systems (SESs) found across the globe and closely connected to the cultural, spiritual, and ecological traditions of indigenous people and local communities (IPLCS). Often located in some of the planet’s most biodiverse regions, Sacred Forests play an essential role in biocultural diversity conservation, yet they remain underrepresented in global forest governance and landscape ecology research.

These forests serve not only as ecological hotspots but also as cultural and spiritual sanctuaries. They are linked to traditional belief systems, religious rituals, historical events, rites of passage, and burial practices. The SESs of Sacred Forests support community-based adaptation strategies grounded in Indigenous Knowledge and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Systems (TEK) and indigeneity as an entry point to learn the plurality of relational ontologies and ways of knowing and living forests. Such knowledge helps local populations address environmental and social challenges, including water management, health, agriculture, energy access, food security, and settlement planning.

Research Background and Focus

Building on my doctoral research (2018–2022) in Senegal, which examined the dynamics of ecovillage transitions, the SPIRAL project uses a transdisciplinary and comparative approach to study Sacred Forests across different cultural and geographical contexts. Through a series of case studies, SPIRAL investigates how ecospiritual practices and cosmoecologies influence the governance, protection, and resilience of these forests and spiritual landscapes.
You can also explore our related research on biocultural heritage.

Aim and Future Perspectives

The primary goal of SPIRAL is to document the global diversity of cosmoecologies and ecospiritual practices that shape the stewardship of Sacred Forests. By integrating biocultural knowledge into contemporary landscape management, the project aims to inspire a more holistic and culturally informed approach to sustainable forest conservation.

Ultimately, SPIRAL contributes to a shifting paradigm in conservation science—one that recognizes Sacred Forests as multidimensional landscapes of ecological, cultural, and spiritual importance. Protecting these forests ensures that their ecological functions and cultural meanings are preserved for future generations.

Hosted by PLACES lab, Financed by EUTOPIA SIF Network of University Grant Agreement 945380