Learning from the past: the role of sacred groves and shrines in environmental management in the Bongo District of Ghana

Abstract

Sacred natural sites are recognized as one of the most important forms of culture-based conservation strategies for the protection of biodiversity and key ecosystems, especially in rural communities throughout the world. In communities where sacred sites exist, a system of religious beliefs and sociocultural practices are often used to manage and sustain these sites. At present, concerns for future crisis in the natural environment and the threats posed to local cultural identities are becoming very rife and widely discussed among academics and practitioners. This paper is a contribution to ongoing discussions on the role of sacred natural sites to sustainable environmental management practices. Eight sacred groves and shrines in the Bongo District were investigated based on an endogenous development framework. The data were collected using focus group discussions with stakeholders at the local and district levels, and individual interviews with key local natural resource managers from four selected communities. It was revealed that the way indigenous people interact with and safeguard the environment is characterized by a system of worldviews which hinge strongly on some kind of intricate relationships between humans and their immediate environment. In some communities, the traditional institutions are becoming malleable and more willing to embrace, learn and share best environmental management practices from other cultures. We conclude that understanding of past management experiences that have sustained sacred natural sites for millions of years can offer some useful lessons for enhancing current environmental management practices. We recommend ongoing policies should take into account the adept knowledge and values of indigenous communities where resources are located and incorporate them into the management style and strategies in order to enhance sustainability.