Sacred Roots: Rethinking Urban Landscapes via Ethnobotanical Narratives

Title

Sacred Roots: Rethinking Urban Landscapes via Ethnobotanical Narratives

Creator

Bhadra, Aratrika; Manjunath, B.T.

Description

This chapter discusses the synthesis of interdisciplinary research on the integration of sacred ethnobotanical knowledge with artificial intelligence (AI) into the present-day urban planning. This chapter draws upon a wide range of literature in the field of ethnobotany, ecotheology, urban ecology and digital innovation to explore how relationships between religious worldviews (including TEK), AI and green infrastructure can be used toward the enhancement of sustainable development of the urban. Review of current academic discourse on sacred plant landscape is emphasized above all, also examining the academic discourse on the nature of faith based ecological ethics and AI assisted urban greening strategies. I begin by reviewing ethnographic approaches and field-based studies that discuss the cultural and spiritual significance of sacred plants in Hindu, Islamic and Christian traditions, then examine service and trust as both a source and outcome for social infrastructure. It is critically analyzed how theological frameworks are ecologically applicable on the plural urban context. The review of AI integrated urban gardening initiatives provides a glimpse of how sensor data, machine learning models as well as mobile platforms are used to monitor plant health and plant biodiversity and how these can also be problematic on ethical front, justice, appropriation of knowledge and autonomy of community. The case studies from projects in Tokyo, Singapore, Ethiopia and Barcelona are placed within a global context and globally applied with a thematic synthesis in order to explore how, in practice, the coalescence of sacred ecological values and technological interventions occurs. The chapter discusses challenges of implementing policy, of cultural commodification, and of current interfaith collaboration models. The end of the review discusses the best practices and policy recommendations that can assist cities to join spiritual stewardship with digital ecological management to coalesce inclusive, biodiverse, and culturally grounded urban ecosystems. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.

Source

New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion;Volume;22;pp.123-136

Date

01-01-2026

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media B.V.

Subject

AI-gardens; Digital conservation; Faith-based planning; Sacred plants; Traditional ecological knowledge; Urban biodiversity; Urban Ethnobotany

Coverage

Bhadra A., Department of Life Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Karnataka, Bangalore, India; Manjunath B.T., Department of Life Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Karnataka, Bangalore, India

Rights

Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library

Relation

ISSN: 23673494;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Book chapter

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-13206-2_7

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037992165?origin=resultslist