Table Of ContentSacred Natural
Sites
Conserving Nature and Culture
Edited by Bas Verschuuren, Robert Wild, Jeffrey McNeely and Gonzalo Oviedo
publishing for a sustainable future
London (cid:129) Washington, DC
First published in 2010 by Earthscan
Copyright © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources 2010
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ISBN: 978-1-84971-166-1 hardback
ISBN: 978-1-84971-167-8 paperback
Typeset by Composition and Design Services
Cover design by Andrew Corbett
Cover photos by Bas Verschuuren. Top image: Dressed Shinto statue and Buddha statue in the Sensoji (Buddhist) temple
forest garden in Asakusa, Tokyo. In Tokyo, temple forest gardens still exist despite the increasing market value of the land. The
Ginkgo Biloba tree (here shown in the background) is classified on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species as ‘endangered’.
Ginkgo has been reintroduced into the wild from monastery gardens and some populations survived that were tended by
Chinese and Japanese monks.
Bottom image: Santa María Volcano (3772m), named Gagxanul in the local K’iche’ language, is an active volcano in the
Western Highlands of Guatemala, close to the city of Quetzaltenango. A large area of the mountain has been declared
a protected area, which has helped to secure the cultural and spiritual use of this sacred natural site. Traditional Mayan
ceremonies are carried out on the mountain as well as many Catholic rituals that fuse with traditional Mayan spirituality.
The lead up to these ceremonies is a pilgrimage from the surrounding villages onto the mountain’s summit.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sacred natural sites : conserving nature and culture/edited by Bas Verschuuren...[et al.].
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-84971-166-1 (hardback) – ISBN 978-1-84971-167-8 (pbk.) 1. Natural areas. 2. Protected areas. 3. Sacred
space. I. Verschuuren, Bas.
QH75.S234 2010
333.95’16–dc22 2010015465
At Earthscan we strive to minimize our environmental impacts and carbon footprint through reducing waste, recycling
and offsetting our CO emissions, including those created through publication of this book. For more details of our
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The paper used is FSC certified.
CONTENTS
List of Figures and Tables ix Chapter 5
The Enchanted Earth: Numinous
About the Authors xiii
Sacred Sites 53
Foreword by Julia Marton-Lefèvre,
Denis Byrne
IUCN Director General xix
Preface xxi Chapter 6
Arguments for Developing Biocultural
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations xxiii
Conservation Approaches for Sacred
Glossary xxv Natural Sites 62
Bas Verschuuren
Chapter 1
Introduction: Sacred Natural Sites
SECTION TWO
the Foundations of Conservation 1
Sacred Natural Sites:
Bas Verschuuren, Robert Wild,
Mutual Learning, Analysis,
Jeffrey McNeely and Gonzalo Oviedo
Planning and Management 73
SECTION ONE
Chapter 7
Towards the Science and Spirituality
Nature Saint and Holy Island,
of Sacred Natural Sites 15
Ancient Values in a Modern Economy:
The Enduring Influence of St Cuthbert
Chapter 2
and Lindisfarne, United Kingdom 77
Conservation of Biodiversity in Sacred
Robert Wild
Natural Sites in Asia and Africa:
A Review of the Scientific Literature 19
Chapter 8
Nigel Dudley, Shonil Bhagwat,
Tourism Meets the Sacred:
Liza Higgins-Zogib, Barbara Lassen,
Khumbu Sherpa Place-based
Bas Verschuuren and Robert Wild
Spiritual Values in Sagarmatha
(Mount Everest) National Park
Chapter 3
and Buffer Zone, Nepal 87
Sacred Mountains and Global Changes:
Jeremy Spoon
Impacts and Responses 33
Edwin Bernbaum
Chapter 9
The Road to the Future? The
Chapter 4
Biocultural Values of the Holy
Falling between the ‘Cracks’ of
Hill Forests of Yunnan Province,
Conservation and Religion: The Role
China 98
of Stewardship for Sacred Trees
Pei Shengji
and Groves 42
Edmund G.C. Barrow
vi Sacred Natural Sites
Chapter 10 Chapter 17
Uncovering the Intangible Values Wetland Cultural and Spiritual Values,
of Earth Care: Using Cognition to and the Ramsar Convention 180
Reveal the Eco-spiritual Domains Thymio Papayannis and Dave Pritchard
and Sacred Values of the Peoples
Chapter 18
of Eastern Kham 107
Sacred Natural Sites, Biodiversity and
John Studley
Well-being: The Role of Sacred Sites
Chapter 11 in Endogenous Development in the
Ancestral Beliefs and Conservation: COMPAS Network 188
The Case of Sacred Sites in Bandjoun, Freddy Delgado, Cesar Escobar,
West Cameroon 119 Bas Verschuuren and Wim Hiemstra
Sébastien Luc Kamga-Kamdem
Chapter 19
Chapter 12 Sacred Natural Sites in Technologically
The Crocodile is our Brother: Sacred Developed Countries: Reflections from
Lakes of the Niger Delta, Implications the Experience of the Delos Initiative 198
for Conservation Management 129 Josep-Maria Mallarach and Thymio
E.D. Anwana, R.A. Cheke, A.M. Martin, Papayannis
L. Obireke, M. Asei, P. Otufu and
Chapter 20
D. Otobotekere
Developing a Methodology and Tools
for Inventorying Sacred Natural Sites
Chapter 13
of Indigenous Peoples in Mexico 209
How African-based Winti Belief Helps
Mercedes Otegui-Acha, Gonzalo Oviedo,
to Protect Forests in Suriname 139
Guillermo Barroso, Martín Gutiérrez,
Tinde van Andel
Jaime Santiago, Bas Verschuuren
Chapter 14
Chapter 21
Seeking and Securing Sacred
Culture-based Conservation of Sacred
Natural Sites among Jamaica’s
Groves: Experiences from the North
Windward Maroons 146
Western Ghats, India 219
Kimberly John, Collin L.G. Harris and
Archana Godbole, Jayant Sarnaik and
Susan Otuokon
Sameer Punde
SECTION THREE
SECTION FOUR
Sacred Natural Sites: International
In Our Own Hands: Living Culture and
Recognition, Global Governance
Equity at Sacred Natural Sites 229
and Field Action 157
Chapter 22
Chapter 15 Community-based Ecotourism at
Sacred Natural Sites, Cultural Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary,
Landscapes and UNESCO’s Action 161 a Sacred Natural Site in Ghana 233
Thomas Schaaf and Mechtild Rossler Alison Ormsby and Craig Edelman
Chapter 16 Chapter 23
Synergies and Challenges for Legal Sacred Valley, Conservation Management
Protection of Sacred Natural Sites and Indigenous Survival: Uch Enmek
in the South Pacific 170 Indigenous Nature Park, Altai Republic,
Erika J. Techera Russia 244
Joanna Dobson and Danil Mamyev
CONTENTS vii
Chapter 24 Chapter 27
Towards a Sustainable Management Conclusions: Sustaining Sacred Natural
and Enhanced Protection of Sacred Sites to Conserve Nature and Culture 280
Marine Areas at Palawan’s Coron Robert Wild, Bas Verschuuren and
Island Ancestral Domain, Philippines 254 Jeffrey McNeely
Arlene G. Sampang
Annex 1
Chapter 25 A Statement of Custodians of Sacred
Culture, Conservation and Co-management: Natural Sites and Territories 292
Strengthening Soliga Stake in Biodiversity
Conservation in Biligiri Rangaswamy Annex 2
Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, India 263 A Preliminary Strategy and Action Plan
Sushmita Mandal, Nitin D. Rai and for the Conservation of Sacred
C. Madegowda Natural Sites 297
WCPA Specialist Group on the Cultural
Chapter 26 and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas
The Devi as Ecofeminist Warrior:
Reclaiming the Role of Sacred Natural Index 300
Sites in East-Central India 272
Radhika Borde and Alana Jules Jackman
List of Figures, Tables and
Boxes
Figures 3.1 Pilgrimage to Ausangate Glacier 36
3.2 St. Catherine’s Monastery at foot
0.1 Indigenous Ranger Marlangaj
of Mount Sinai 39
Yunupingu presents Julia Marton-
4.1 The Fever Tree 44
Lefèvre with a Yidaki at the launch of
4.2 Tree planting ceremony near
the Sacred Natural Sites Guidelines
Badrinath, India 48
at the IUCN World Conservation
5.1 Pre-Christen sacred ‘well’ and
Congress, Barcelona 2008 xx
pilgrimage destination in
1.1 Karamat of Shaykh Hohamed Hassen
Westerhoven,
Ghaibie Shah al-Qadiri at Lion’s Head,
Southern Netherlands 54
Signal Hill within Table Mountain
5.2 A spirit (phi) shrine at Chiang Saen,
National Park (Cape Town is ringed
northern Thailand 56
by a Holy Circle of Islamic Shrines) 3
6.1 The ruins of Tikal are situated in
1.2 The goddess Jomo Miyo Lang Samba
the World Heritage Site and national
from Pangbuche Monastery who
park ‘Peten’ in Guatemala 64
lives on Mount Everest 4
6.2 Galapagos, Stained glass window
1.3 The ‘Tagyl’ is a stone ritual altar used
celebrating Galapaganian diversity
for group prayer meetings held twice
from the Church of St Francis,
a year at the beginning of the summer
Puerto Ayora, Galapagos World
‘green leaves’ and in the autumn,
Heritage Site 66
‘yellow leaves’ 6
II.1 The mountain (5761m) is home to
1.4 Framework for the conservation of
the protector deity Khumbu-Yul-Lha
sacred natural sites 8
and is flanked by Tengbuche
1.5 World map and legend linking the
Monastery in Nepal 75
approximate location of sacred natural
7.1 Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve
sites to the chapters in this book 10
I.1 Mt Kailas in the Himalayas is sacred with Holy Island at centre 79
to millions of Buddhists, Hindus and 7.2 Political divisions of northern Britain
Bonn shamans 17 indicative of St Cuthbert’s era 80
2.1 The Chewa Graveyard Forests of 7.3 St Mary’s Church on the site of St.
Malawi are often the only remaining Aidan’s Church next to the ruins of
woody vegetation in an otherwise the abbey also showing the edge
cleared landscape 20 of the village 82
2.2 Elders of Kaya Kinondo (one of 11 7.4 Pilgrims crossing the sandflats
biodiverse sacred forests recognized of the Pilgrims Way 84
as outstanding universal value as the 8.1 Map of Sagarmatha (Mount Everest)
Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests National Park and Buffer Zone
World Heritage Site) 24 (Khumbu and Pharak) 88
x Sacred Natural Sites
8.2 View from Gokyo Ri (5357m) across 13.2 Ceiba pentandra tree spared from felling
Sagarmatha National Park and along a public road in Paramaribo,
Buffer Zone at sunset 89 Suriname 142
8.3 Flags placed on the slopes of the 14.1 Nanny Falls with the present
sacred mountain for the protector Colonel of the More Town
deity Khumbu Yul-Lha during the Maroons, Wallace Sterling,
annual Dumji ceremony 92 in the foreground 148
8.4 Results of multiple regression analysis 14.2 Location map of the Park 149
for Khumbu Sherpa place-based 14.3 River View in Rio Grande valley
spiritual value knowledge 95 looking west at the Maroon
9.1 Location of Yunnan Province sacred natural sites of Pumpkin
and of Xishuangbanna Autonomous Hill (highest peak) in the Blue
Prefecture 99 Mountains 151
9.2 Map of Xishuangbanna III.1 Local women meeting with the
in Yunnan 100 Applied Environmental Research
9.3 Xishuangbanna landscape of Foundation in the temple at Janvale
settlement, paddy, agricultural land to discuss management strategies and
and natural forest on Holy Hills 101 governance for their local sacred
9.4 Votive offerings made within groves in the Western Ghats,
a Holy Hill forest 104 Maharastra, India 159
10.1 Map of the Kham region 109 15.1 The Sacred Suleiman Mountain
10.2 A Mosuo shaman 110 (Kyrgyzstan) inscribed on the
10.3 Lartse (la btsas) 111 UNESCO World Heritage list
10.4 Cognitive map of forest concepts in 2009 163
or values in Eastern Kham 112 15.2 Kaya Rabai Elders in procession
10.5 Distribution of mean forest concepts (Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests
or values across Eastern Kham 113 World Heritage property, Kenya) 164
10.6 Overlap analysis of forest concepts/ 16.1 Chief Roi Mata’s Domain World
values and dialects in Eastern Heritage Area, Efate, Vanuatu 171
Kham 114 16.2 Eretoka Island, Chief Roi Mata’s
10.7 Bearing analysis of forest Domain World Heritage Area,
concept/value data among Vanuatu 174
Khamba speakers 114 17.1 Fishing communities on Lake George,
11.1 Traditional subdivision of Bandjoun a Ramsar site in Uganda, have a
with Western Cameroon inset 120 strong fishing culture and live
11.2 Participatory maps of sacred closely with wildlife 181
sites in Hiala 121 17.2 Patriarch Bartholomew visits an
11.3 Coronation ceremony of a queen indigenous village, Santarem,
at Simdzedze place 123 Amazon, Brazil 184
11.4 Tchuép-Poumougne sacred site 124 18.1 Sacred natural sites, biodiversity
12.1 Sacred Lakes Adigbe and Esiribi and human well-being 191
in the Niger Delta in Nigeria 131 18.2 Santa Vera Cruz festival, Bolivia 192
12.2 Priest and assistant in front of shrine 18.3 Endogenous development indicators
erected for sacrifices to the lake for biodiversity management at
god at Lake Esiribi (Biseni) 133 sacred natural sites 194
12.3 Fishing activities on Lake 18.4 Indicators and quantitative progress
Adigbe (Osiama) 134 for material, social and spiritual
13.1 A ritual herbal bath for happiness well-being comparing 2006
and good luck, Paramaribo 141 and 2009 195
List of Figures, Tables and Boxes xi
18.5 Community members and university 23.2 Map of the Karakol valley
staff join in a ritual to ask for indicating magnetic magnetite
protection from the ancestors at outcrops and approximate
Incaracay, an Inca fort which now locations of Kurgans 246
represents the ancestors, therefore 23.3 Mount Uch Enmek in the
a socially constructed sacred background and Bronze Age
natural site, Bolivia 195 Stellae amongst horses 248
19.1 Orthodox monastery of Rila, 23.4 Magnetic field of the Archaeological
spiritual and cultural heart of site ‘Neijhnee Soru’ at the Karakol
Bulgaria, nested in the middle of Valley 249
a natural park managed as a 23.5 Excavated kurgan 252
nature reserve created by the 24.1 Map of the ancestral domain
Orthodox Church of Bulgaria 202 of the Calamian Tagbanwa
19.2 Fire-lighting ceremony in a temple of in Coron Island, Palawan,
the Kii Mountain Range, a Buddhist- Philippines 257
Shinto pilgrimage complex protected 24.2 Entrance to Kayangan Lake,
by several national parks, south of sacred to the Calamian
Kyoto, Japan 205 Tagbanwa 258
20.1 A proposed framework for 24.3 General assembly in Cabugao
developing an inventory of sacred village discussing the details
natural sites 211 of the research project 259
20.2 Seri Indian ‘Comcaac’ singing and 25.1 A Soliga paying his obeisance
praying in ceremony with at a Devaru site in BRTWS 266
Tiburon Island in the 25.2 Locating yelles on the map 267
background 213 26.1 A sacred-grove worship ceremony
20.3 Signing a free, prior and informed in Arsande village, Jharkhand 273
consent agreement with the Mayo 27.1 Rock art in the Karakol valley
Community in Mexico 216 in the Altai Republic, Russian
21.1 Map of Maharashtra State in India Federation 281
with Ratnagiri District 221 27.2 Rogelio Mejia: Colombia and José
21.2 Sacred grove of Sayale village de los Santos are Tayrona from the
and renovated temple 221 Sierra Nevada de Santa Martha
21.3 Gods and goddesses are placed in Colombia 283
in Palkhi during the Holi festival 224 27.3 Ceremony at Bogd Khan Mountain,
IV.1 Soliga and Ashoka Trust for Research Mongolia 288
in Ecology and the Environment A1.1 Gathering of sacred natural sites
are mapping sacred sites using custodians, supporters and
a handheld GPS in the Biligiri conservation biologists during
Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife a dialogue at the IUCN World
Sanctuary, India 231 Conservation Congress,
22.1 Location of Tafi Atome Monkey Barcelona October 2008 292
Sanctuary within Ghana 235 A2.1 Custodians Chagat Almashev of Altai
22.2 Map of Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary, Republic and Kadyrbek Dzhakypov
a sacred forest 236 of Kyrgyzstan presenting their
22.3 Main road through Tafi Atome village group’s recommendations for
with sacred grove on the left 237 action, Custodians Dialogue,
22.4 True mona monkey 239 Barcelona 2008 298
23.1 Location of Altai Republic and Uch
Enmek Indigenous Nature Park 245
xii Sacred Natural Sites
Tables 21.1 Criteria used for the Forest
Intactness Rating (FIR) 222
4.1 Some examples of sacred
22.1 Distribution of tourism revenue at
groves 45
Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary 239
11.1 Different criteria for considering
sacred areas in Bandjoun 122
Boxes
19.1 Case studies of The Delos
Initiative 203
11.1 Factors threatening
20.1 Step 2: Analysis of potential
sacred areas 125
distribution of sacred natural
12.1 Biseni and Osiama as exemplars
sites 212
of Community Conserved Areas 135
20.2 Sacred natural sites proposed
20.1 Free, Prior and Informed Consents
registration template 215
(FPIC) 216
