Conceptualizing boundary formation in sacred landscapes: case studies from sacred groves in Northern Epirus, Greece

Investigating the structure of ecological boundaries is a crucial issue for forest research to understand how adjacent systems interact and exchange flows of resources, both spatially and temporally. Their appraisal is, however, challenging, especially in landscapes where cultural and social variables
strongly influence boundary configuration.

Among the Mediterranean cultural landscapes, sacred groves in Northern Epirus are a notable example of a long-term coupled socio-ecological system. Their current structure is thought to result from centuries of interaction between the push of social processes (religious taboos, community protection status, local management practices, rural land abandonment) and ecological responses (presence of forest patches in the landscape, changes in plant growth form, increase in tree life spans, infilling of secondary vegetation). The impact of these processes on boundary properties make an excellent case study of coupled human and natural systems, to investigate if the ecological sacred forest structure is depicted by the history of local communities’ rules and practices.

Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, we sampled the age and size structure of the sacred grove of Agios Nikolaos (Northern Epirus, Greece), mapped topography, determined viewsheds, and obtained anthropological and historical data from documents, maps and interviews with community members.

The results suggest that local management and social norms are critical in structuring the landscape of sacred groves, with current vegetation boundaries still influenced by the legacy of historic sacred grove management.

Further research will include modeling of the social-ecological interface to predict the future effects of land abandonment on sacred forest spatial structure; developing and testing a flexible tool that could be adapted to other socio-ecological contexts.