The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, scientists and others. This article features the experiences of Ms. Kaliopi Stara who studies excommunicated forests and sacred groves in Greece. Kalipi Stara, with the University University of Ioannina is currently leading post doctoral research on locally adapted conservation systems in Northwest Greece. This new interdisciplinary project “Conservation through Religion: the Sacred Groves of Epirus” aims to study their biocultural value in the context of effective conservation. A total of 38 social and natural scientists from Greece and abroad will be involved. Click here to read the full case study on “The Sacred Groves of Zagori, Epirus, Greece”.
Mr. GiannisVakamis-L is a local resident collaborating with ongoing ethno-biological research on the sacred groves of Epirus. Photo: K. Stara.
A network of Sacred Natural Sites is found in Zarori, a region in the mountainous areas of Northwest Greece. These are either protective forests or groves on the mountain slopes above villages or groups of veteran trees around chapels. Their spiritual foundations and maintenance have been interpreted as a way of management of local resources and ecosystems through religious rules. Sacred trees and groves have been associated with taboos about cutting relating to supernatural punishments.
Most sacred sites in the region are being looked after by the local people. In the past Zarori was inhabited by the Zagorians who founded the villages and the linguistically distinct Vlachs. All inhabitants are Orthodox Christians. Beliefs about sacred trees and groves are, however, primarily associated with pre-Christian ideas. Nowadays taboos are fading together with the older generation. Elements of these taboos have however been maintained through respect for a community’s history and traditions.
The effort to survey sacred groves in Zagori started in 2003 and has been continuing since with financial support from various programs of the Greek Ministry of Environment and the EU. At the regional level, public lectures, publications in local magazines and action on veteran-trees management have been taking place. These activities aim to raise public awareness about Sacred Natural Sites and veteran trees. Local cultural associations respond very positive to these ideas and more events are planned for the near future. Read more.
