Floristic composition of the kaan forests of Sagar Taluk: sacred landscape in the central Western Ghats, Karnataka, India

In the Malnad region of the central Western Ghats, Karnataka, ethnic people conserve village forests called kaan forests as the abode of sylvan deities. Ethnic taboos have kept kaan forests in a virgin state over the course of centuries. In recent times, the strong taboo around these kaan forests has lessened, and the withdrawal of managing rights of kaans has affected valued species. Of 103 kaan forests (totalling 5,254 ha) in the region, 24 (= 12 ha) well-managed kaan forests were inventoried floristically during 2008 to 2009. The results provided identification of a total of 303 species in 237 genera and 79 diverse families. Of these, 34 species belong to rare, endangered, or threatened categories 116 were endemics, and 150 were evergreen species. kaan forests are still essentially of climax character, and are the abode of ecologically sensitive plant species. Affording more powers to the local communities in protecting the local biodiversity would be more effective in conserving them.