Abstract Understanding and appreciating the associated beliefs, management, and use of sacred forests is crucial for preserving these landscapes. Locally protected areas that are conserved based on belief systems, sacred forests, or groves can be models to learn from for developing policies for natural resource management that are sensitive to biocultural values. Cultural beliefs and practices, both current and historical, underpin the biodiversity conservation and spiritual values of these community‐conserved areas, both in India and globally. We investigated the cultural practices and spiritual beliefs, values, and resource use of the Santal‐dominated district of Mayurbhanj in Odisha, India. Odisha is a heavily forested state in eastern India. A total of 10 sacred groves were sampled and 148 residents were interviewed. Through interviews, 28 different species of plants were documented from the sacred groves that are used for medicinal and religious purposes. Changes in the groves and taboos and rituals associated with sacred groves were also investigated. The cultural ecosystem services associated with the sacred groves are the main reason these small patches of forests remain. There are still many unstudied sacred groves in different parts of the state of Odisha, as well as other regions around the world. With permission, plant diversity and community management could be further studied to facilitate better protection of species in groves globally. Additional transdisciplinary research on the ecology and underlying management and conservation mechanisms of sacred groves around the world is needed to fully understand the role of these forests in biocultural conservation and develop a conservation framework for sacred natural sites.