Volume VI Special Issue VI September 2026

Name of Author : Dr.Khalida Hassan

Title of the paper : Guarding the Sacred Groves: Countering Anthropogenic Pressures through Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Traditional Resource Management

Abstract: This paper tells a deeply personal story about the connection between the health of the land and the soul of the Kashmiri people. For generations, the River Jhelum has been the lifeblood of the valley, a single, vital system that sustains everything around it. However, as human activities like pollution, urban growth, and changing land use begin to damage the river, we arent just losing water quality we are also losing an essential part of our own heritage. To understand this loss, the study looks closely at the tiny creatures living at the bottom of the river, known as macrozoobenthos. These animals are the canaries in the coal mine, and by studying how their diversity has dwindled under the pressure of human impact, the researchers can see exactly how much the rivers natural balance has shifted. What makes this research truly special, however, is that it doesn’t just rely on cold, hard data. It bridges the gap between modern science and the deep, time-honoured ecological wisdom of the Kashmiri people values that have always taught us to live in harmony with the environment rather than against it. The paper argues that we cannot fix the river with technology alone instead, it advocates for a concept called biocultural resilience. This means returning to our roots and using our traditional knowledge as a powerful tool to guide how we manage and protect our resources today. By blending the facts of science with the heart of our culture, the study offers a hopeful path forward, suggesting that we can restore the health of the Jhelum by honouring the very wisdom that kept it thriving for centuries.

Keywords : River Jhelum, Macrozoobenthos, Anthropogenic activities, Biocultural Resilence

DOI :

Page Number : 195-201