Governance Equity and Livelihoods
Cultural and Spiritual Values Task Force
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 Task Force Leader
Mr Rob Wild
Leader
Task Force on Non-Material Values
The network
seeks to identify, define, and provide guidelines
for managing the cultural and spiritual dimensions
of protected areas.
Programme
 The
Task Force on the Cultural and Spiritual Values
of Protected Areas was established in 1998. As
of September, 2001, the Task force is composed
of approximately 76 members from 24 countries.
However, anyone who is interested is encouraged
to participate, especially if you are willing
to invest some time to further the Task Force's
activities. Since all participants in the Task
Force, including the Coordinator, are volunteers,
its work advances quite slowly.
The WCPA has played an important
role in bringing together and disseminating methodologies
for the identification and quantification of the
economic values of protected areas. This work
is complemented by that of the Task Force, which
seeks to identify, define, and provide guidelines
for managing the Cultural and Spiritual dimensions
of protected areas. This work is accomplished
through e-mail communication among the network
participants, working sessions at major events,
such as WCPA meetings, and through individual
projects.
At the World Parks Congress in
Durban (September, 2003), it was decided to change
At the World Parks Congress in Durban (September,
2004) it was decided to change the name of the
Task Force, update its Terms of Reference, and
produce a work direction for it.
Why the name
change for the Task Force?
The original name of the Task Force was unsatisfactory
because the term "Non-Material" was
too negative, defining the values we are concerned
by what they are not rather than what they are.
The term also implies acceptance of the Western
concept of a split between matter and spirit,
a split that does not exist in many cultures.
Why two terms
in the new name, instead of just one?
For many people, the word cultural does not adequately
represent the transcendent spiritual aspects of
existence. The Durban working group considered
many terms to try to convey the whole array of
values associated with protected areas and nature
in general, and the complex relationships between
those values. After much discussion, the phrase
Cultural and Spiritual Values was agreed upon
as the most inclusive way to describe what we
are about.
Why were
the terms cultural and spiritual chosen?
The term cultural was selected because
(1) it is well established as a contrasting term
to natural, and so in conservation contexts conveys
the idea of concerns going beyond biodiversity,
air and water quality, wildlife, etc., and (2)
it is universally applicable, since everyone identifies
with one (or more) cultures.
The term spiritual was
selected rather than sacred because, in some cultures,
the term sacred is associated with formal religion.
Although religions are a key component of spirituality,
there are many people who find and express their
spirituality outside a religious context.
In summary, the phrase Cultural
and Spiritual Values is intended to encompass,
in as inclusive way as is possible, the complete
range of supportive values and significance that
people find in, and bring to, nature in general
and protected areas in particular.
Important qualifications
and explanations
No single word or phrase, in a single language,
can hope to accurately express the complexity
and richness of the values we are talking about.
The following points should always be kept in
mind when discussing the work of the Task Force.
- The limitations
of English. There
are over 6,000 languages in the world, and each
one has unique strengths (and weaknesses) in
how it describes the complexity of existence.
There is no widely understood word in English
that captures the sense of interconnectedness
between humans and the Earth, between the physical
world and the world of the spirit, between the
mundane and the sacred, and so on. Other languages
have words that come closer to hitting the mark
(for example, the Spanish cosmovisión)
and the Task Force encourages people to seek
alternative terms in their own languages that
have greater meaning to them.
- We are concerned
with values that support the protection of and
reverence for Earth.
One limitation of introducing the term Culture
into the title of the Task Force is that there
are many cultures that do not value Earth, that
believe nature exists only to serve humans,
that are locked into a fundamentalism that does
not respect other viewpoints. Cultural diversity
has great value, but one does not have to support
every existing cultural practice in order to
support cultural diversity. The Task Force exists
to foster those cultural and spiritual values
that support and respect nature and the Earth,
and the variety of cultures that nature and
the Earth sustains.
- We are concerned
not just with protected areas, but with all
of nature and culture.
As a Task Force of the WCPA, we have a sharp
focus on protected areas. However, protected
areas are cultural creations that interact with
wider human culture, as well as being set against
a background of nature. For example, although
the Task Force is concerned with sacred natural
sites and larger sacred landscapes as forms
of protected areas, we are also vitally concerned
with the sacred dimension of nature as a whole.
- Culture
is alive. The
term culture includes not just the past, and
not just physical aspects of heritage. It includes
living cultures that are not only connected
to their ancestors but that continue to change
and grow in response to the contemporary world.
The term also include all the intangible aspects
of culture, many of which lie at the very heart
of culture.
- The term cultural and spiritual values has a constellation
of meanings. As a
general summarizing point, the work of the Task
Force should be understood to include a range
of associated and interconnected meanings whose
importance and coherence cannot be expressed
in simple terms, and may not be expressible
in words at all.
Through the work of the Task Force,
the WCPA can play an important role in redressing
the imbalance between the emphasis given to the
tangible and intangible aspects of protected area
management. This can be accomplished by
assisting WCPA members, and interested individuals
around the world, to identify and manage the Cultural
and Spiritual attributes of protected areas as
a means of maximizing their contribution to society.
To this end, the Task Force has already carried
out some activities that include:
- definition of the terms most
often used to describe Cultural and Spiritual
values;
- an issue of PARKS dedicated
to the theme of Cultural and Spiritual values;
- publication of the book, "The
Full Value of Parks: From Economics to the Intangible",
edited by David Harmon and Allen D. Putney,
on the intangible values associated with protected
areas;
- presentation of a Special Ceremony
on the Sacred Dimension of Protected Areas at
the World Parks Congress (Durban, September
2003);
- coordination of Technical Sessions
on Building Cultural Support for Protected Areas
at the World Parks Congress (WPC);
- drafting of preliminary guidelines
on the management of sacred natural sites;
- synthesis of a "Pre-Feasibility
for the Development of a Network of Protected
Areas Associated with the Gran Ruta Inca; and,
- work with an inter-institutional
group to develop a common initiative for the
protection and management of sacred natural
sites.
Looking to the future, the task
force intends to:
- cooperate with UNESCO, and
the Rigoberta Menchu Tum Foundation, andother
interested organizations, in the development
and implementation of an inter-institutional
initiative on the protection and management
of sacred natural sites;
- develop a major project to
implement a network of protected areas associated
with the Gran Ruta Inca in Andean South America
and management of the related cultural landscapes;
- organize a "Dance for
the Earth" world event that will focus
on the cultural and spiritual links to protected
areas;
- work with other institutions
to develop impact assessment procedures related
to the cultural and spiritual values of protected
areas; and,
- development of methodologies
for integrating cultural and spiritual values
into the planning of protected areas
Key
Issues
 To
be of greatest benefit to society, protected areas
must address the full spectrum of human values.
The past decade has seen much attention given
to the value of protected areas for the conservation
of biodiversity. Yet protected areas are also
valued as spiritual, cultural, and aesthetic landscapes
that inspire and move. The varied expressions
of nature found in protected areas lead many to
develop a deep personal understanding that all
is related. That essential understanding is basic
to economics, ecology, physics and spirituality,
and many other human pursuits. Yet, it is the
personal, gut-level knowing that motivates individuals
and communities to actively cultivate harmony
with the environment, and with one another. At
the international level there has been a reluctance
to make explicit, and promote the management of
protected areas for Cultural and Spiritual values.
This is due, perhaps, to growing globalization
of the western way of looking at the world that
attaches singular importance to the scientific
and technical, at the expense of the human, cultural,
and spiritual.
News
Sacred mountains of Australia returned to Aboriginal owners
29 May 2006
 History was made on 6 May, 2006, when two coastal mountain national parks in Australia were handed back to their traditional Yuin Aboriginal owners after some 240 years of European settlement. The handback of the freehold titles for Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks marks an important day in the history of both Australia and international protected area management
Hon. R.J. Debus Speech Notes WCPA Australia WCPA Mountains Biome Full Story
COP 7
Task Force Contributions
to the World Parks Congress
COP
7 (Kuala Lumpur, February 2004)
 Several members of the Task
Force on Cultural and Spiritual Values attended
the Biodiversity Convention COP 7 meeting
in Kuala Lumpur in February, and a few of
the Task Force Members met to discuss possible
projects. Terence Hay Edie, Rob Wild, Ed Barrow,
Ashish Kothari, Gonzalo Oviedo, Manisha Sheth
Gutman ,John Fanshawe and John Herity participated
in these meetings. The two main projects that
were discussed were proposed by Robert Wild
and Terence Hay Edie.
The Dance for the Earth and its Peoples project
proposed by Rob Wild, aims to explore dance
as a medium for communicating the message
of conservation both to a modern urban audience
as well as as a traditional form of communicating
knowledge about nature. Dance was also recognised
as being a powerful communication tool for
the indigenous peoples to whom language is
a barrier. It was proposed that the project
begins with a focus on protected areas. The
potential of such a project in terms of raising
funds for conservation and reaching out to
a completely new target group and involving
them in the conservation debate were discussed.
Follow up includes researching any existing
similar work and identifying indigenous peoples
who may have living traditons of dance connected
with Nature. Rob has invited a few people
to form a committee to explore the project
further. Contact : Rob Wild ( wildslade@tciway.tc
)
The second project involved the creation of
Cultural Impact Assessment guidelines for
the establishment and management of protected
areas. Such guidelines already exist but are
only focussed on sacred sites. Terence Hay
Edie who now works with the GEF Small Grants
Programme and has been associated with the
CSVPA for a while, invited John Herity to
advise the group on how such a project could
be initiated. It was brought to our attention
that there exists an International Association
of Impact Assessors and that it may be useful
to establish contact with them. The need to
involve indigenous peoples and local communities
on a equitable basis was stressed by John
Herity. Follow up points included initiation
of a dialogue on existing guidelines, compiling
examples of cases where cultural impact of
PAs has been substantive and may or may not
have been addressed and connecting with the
IAIA. Another suggestion was to look at mapping
of PAs in terms of cultural values. Contact
Terence Hay Edie (terence.hay-edie@undp.org)
Another event of interest was a side event
by David Suzuki called the Sacred Balance.
David is a renowned biologist who has been
spreading the message of the sanctity of Nature
passionately for some time now. A film of
the same name was screened followed by a dialogue
with him on various issues. The event was
attended by an interesting mix of government
delegates as well as NGO observers. David
also later addressed the indigenous peoples
and local community representatives at the
Community Kampong in an event organised by
the Equator Initiative. Suzuki had earlier
addressed the opening plenary of the COP eloquently
highlighting the sacred element of Nature.For
further information see www.davidsuzuki.org
At the discussions in the COP, article 8j
which includes the 'Draft Voluntary Guidelines
for the conduct of Cultural, Environmental
and Social Impact Assessments regarding developments
proposed to take place on, or which are likely
to impact on , Sacred Sites and on lands and
waters traditionally occupied or used by Indiegnous
and Local Communities was discussed.' More
information can be found on this at www.biodiv.org
An event on Sacred Sites was organised by
RAIPON and IIFB. Case studies of Sacred sites
in Russia were presented here.
A book entitled 'Faith in Conservation : New
Approaches to Religions and the Environment'
was released and limited copies were being
distributed by the World Bank. This book has
been authored by Martin Palmer and Victoria
Finlay and is a discussion of how religions
can work with environment and development
focussed organizations, both to provide alternate
models of conservation approaches and to develop
programs for their own faithful. For more
information see www.worldbank.org/faithsandenvironment
back to
top
Task
Force Contributions to the World Parks Congress
The WCPA's Task Force on Cultural and Spiritual
Values produced 5 major outputs for the World
Parks Congress (Durban, South Africa, 8-17 September,
2003):
1. A book, "The Full Value
of Parks: from Economics to the Intangible",
was published in mid-2003 and launched at the
Congress.
2. A Special Ceremony on the Sacred
Dimension of Protected Areas was presented on
September 9th, from 20:00 to 21:00 hours, and
followed by presentation of a video, "In
the Light of Reverence". The Special Ceremony
video taped and CDs of the Ceremony distributed
to interested persons.
3. Preliminary Guidelines on the
Management of Sacred Natural Sites were presented
and discussed during Technical Sessions, and a
revised version drafted and circulated post Congress.
4. Technical Sessions on Building
Cultural Support for Protected Areas were held
at the Congress, September 10-12, and the results
reported to all participants of the Congress Stream
on "Building Support for Protected Areas"
on 12 September.
5. A Pre-Feasibility Study for
the Development of a Network of Protected Areas
Associated with the Great Inca Highland Road was
presented as a side event at the Congress on September
12th in a multi-media presentation, backed by
a technical report and a glossy Executive Summary.
Links
"The Heart of the
People" Declaration
North American Indigenous Peoples Summit on
Biological Diversity and Biological Ethics
|
http://www.alphacdc.com/ien/
declare.html |
Indigenous Environment
Network
Protecting the earth from contamination
and exploitation by strengthening, maintaining,
and respecting the traditional teachings
and natural laws. |
http://www.alphacdc.com/ien |
Kunming Workshop on Sacred
Natural Sites.
Meeting to discuss the importance of sacred
natural sites to biodiversity conservation,
Kunming, China, February, 2003. |
http://www.biowest.ac.cn/sns/ |
Building Bridges
Building Bridges: American Indians and conservationists
share a philosophy that respects Earth and
recognizes people's responsibility to be stewards
of the land.
|
http://www.wwf.org/bridges/
bbz.html |
Sacred Places
An exploration of how and why places become
invested with sacredness. |
http://wwwwitcombe.sbc.edu/sacredplaces/ |
Center for Integrated
Study of the Human Dimensions of Global Change
The Center is a coordinated research project
by 47 principal investigators at 22 institutions
- 13 in the U.S. and 9 in seven other countries
- interested in the interactions of society
and the environment.
|
http://hdgc.epp.cmu.edu/index-
whoweare.html |
Should users of this page wish
to suggest other links, please contact the network's
International Coordinator.
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