The hill range of Mandargiri forest is located in Satkosia wildlife sanctuary of Anugul Forest Division. It is surrounded by nine Villages, out of which eight are involved in conservation efforts. It provides for the fuel wood, fodder and timber requirements of thousands of people living nearby. The energy needs of Anugul town are met from this area and perennial streams support agriculture downstream. Apart from this, the area is of unique cultural and medicinal importance. The community considers the protected forest as holy and trees like Ashwasta, Sann and Bara are worshipped by the Villagers. Sensing the future scarcity of forest goods, the surrounding Villages began protecting the Mandargiri forest in the late 1980s. Though the Villages have formed the Van Suraksha Samiti (VSS), they have continued to protect the forest with their traditional practices.