Centuries-old poems and folk songs from India describe landscapes of thorny trees and open grasslands that match today's savannas in western India. A new study suggests these areas are ancient ecosystems, not degraded forests, challenging long-held assumptions. This finding could influence conservation strategies and reforestation efforts.
In the 13th century, a Marathi religious leader named Cakradhara referenced an acacia tree as a symbol of death and rebirth, embedding descriptions of the surrounding environment in his writings. Researchers have now analyzed such historical texts, including poems, folk songs, and myths dating back to the 1200s, to reconstruct the ecological history of western India's landscapes.
Published in the journal People and Nature in 2025, the study by Ashish Nerlekar of Michigan State University and Digvijay Patil of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune examined references to plants in these narratives. They identified mentions of 44 wild plant species, with nearly two-thirds characteristic of savanna ecosystems. For instance, the epic poem Adi Parva from the 16th century depicts the thorny Nira River valley as rich in grass, attracting cowherders. Another account notes a taraṭī tree, or Capparis divaricata, growing at a 15th-century pilgrimage site in Pandharpur.
The acacia species Vachellia leucophloea, with its feathery leaves and white flowers, appears in eight references, indicating its prevalence at the time. "It's a pretty iconic tree in the region, and it was common at that time also," Nerlekar said.
These accounts show that savannas in Maharashtra, covering about 37,485 square kilometers, have persisted for at least 750 years, predating British-era deforestation. Fossil evidence, including pollen and remains of grass-eating animals like hippos, supports an even older origin spanning tens of thousands of years.
For decades, scientists and policymakers viewed these grasslands—spanning nearly 10% of India—as degraded forests, leading to tree-planting initiatives. However, the study argues they are natural, longstanding ecosystems. In India, savannas host over 200 endemic plant species, many sacred and recently discovered, facing threats from agriculture and development. They also store carbon and sustain livelihoods for about 20% of the global population through grazing.
"The take-home for me is how little things have changed," Nerlekar remarked. "These centuries-old stories provide us a rare glimpse into the past, and that the past was a savanna past, not a forested past."
Preserving these areas is crucial for biodiversity and cultural value, potentially redirecting conservation away from inappropriate reforestation.