Kodagu district, located in the south-western part of Karnataka and famous for its tropical evergreen forest, adores and worships its trees. Hence the name Sacred Groves or Devara Kadu. It is a unique concept that encourages people’s participation in the conservation of nature. The district lies between northern latitudes 11'560 - 12'520 and eastern longitudes 72'220 - 76'120. It is one of the smallest districts in the State covering as it does just about 4,102 sq km. For administrative purposes, it has been divided into three taluks. As per the 2001 census, it had a total population of 5,48,561.
Kodagu district could be called as a hotspot of sacred grove tradition not only in the State but also in the country and the world at large since it has the largest number of sacred groves in proportion to its area in the world and all the eighteen native communities are stakeholders in this unique tradition. There are 1,214 listed sacred groves in Kodagu, covering 2,520 hectares. These groves are small islands surrounded by coffee estates, paddy fields, reserve forests and habitations.
The overall goal of the project, which was started five months ago, is to enhance capabilities required for the conservation and sustainable management of sacred groves at the national level and initiate action.