Bridging the gap between cultural reverence and scientific care for sacred heritage trees

Sacred sites serve as refuges for ancient trees, where centuries of cultural reverence, complemented by China’s formal national registration system for heritage trees, create a robust dualistic protection framework. However, longitudinal field examinations at Nanhua Temple reveal a troubling “conservation paradox”: despite these double safeguards, a substantial proportion of heritage trees exhibit severe physiological decline, including canopy dieback and mortality. This study reveals a critical systemic gap—neither cultural reverence nor legal prohibition is designed to actively promote tree health; both excel at preventing intentional harm but fail to address the compounding anthropogenic stressors of soil compaction and microenvironmental alteration prevalent at high-pressure sacred sites. The findings underscore that safeguarding these living monuments requires a fundamental paradigm shift from passive protection to proactive, scientifically-informed stewardship. We propose an integrated tripartite management framework that adds on-site technical capacity as a vital third dimension to existing cultural and statutory protections. By prioritizing systematic health assessments and preventive arboricultural care, this study provides a generalizable roadmap for integrating ecological science with cultural commitment to ensure the long-term survival of sacred heritage trees worldwide.