Archive

The beating heart of ICCAs in Central America.

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From the 17th till the 27th participants from various Central American countries and beyond shared knowledge and experiences in two very exciting meetings. The first meeting focused on the role of cultural, spiritual and sacred values in sustainable forest management. The meeting, organised by Oxlajuj Ajpop, the Sacred Natural Sites Initiative (SNSI) and supported by Natural […]

New project in Guatemala on sacred forests prepares for inception work shop

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The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative and Oxlajuj Ajpop, the Guatemalan National Council of Mayan Spiritual Leaders are about to officially kick of a new project on sustainable forest management through recognition of cultural, spiritual and sacred values. Preparations for this project, supporting three rural Mayan communities in the Quiche district, have been long in the […]

Conservation Experience: Conservation of natural sites with spiritual values in Neyshabur, Iran

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The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, scientists and others. This post features the experiences of Ms. Maryam Kabiri Hendi who during her Master’s thesis at Tehran University worked on Land evaluation for conservation of natural sites with spiritual values in Iran. With the help of Associate Professor […]

Conservation Experience: A complex of sacred sites in Kyrgyzstan

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The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, scientists and others. This post features the experiences of Ms. Cholponai Usubalieva-Gryshchuk and Gulnara Aitpeva respectively Research Officer and Director at Aigne Cultural Research Center in Bishkek Kyrgyzstan. Aigne has been working on sacred natural sites in Kyrgyzstan for nearly a […]

Maya ready the world for a new sacred time

Don Nicolas Lucas, principal Elder of Oxlajuj Ajpop, leads the Maya ceremony helt in Tikal, Peten, Guatemala.
The preparations for the completion of the 13th Baktun had not gone unnoticed to the world. The international community had quickly caught the public’s attention by promoting that that the Maya predicted the end of the world as we know it. These predictions, all false of course, did generate a lot of publicity and interest […]

Conservation Experience: Conserving the sacred groves of the Western Ghats, India.

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The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, scientists and others. This post features the experiences of Ms. Archana Godbole who is the Director of the Applied Environmental Research Foundation based in Pune India.  AERF has been working in the Western Ghats for nearly two decades recuperating its acred […]

Join the Celebrations of the New Cycle of the Mayan Calendar

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The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative is humbled to have been invited to lend its support to the National Council of Mayan Elders and Spiritual Leaders, Oxlajuj Ajpop. Especially so, as it’s efforts go towards supporting the celebrations of renewing the cycle of the Mayan Calendar. This celebration is to be held in over 20 sacred natural […]

Conservation Experience: The Sacred Groves of Zagori, Epirus, Greece.

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The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, scientists and others. This article features the experiences of Ms. Kaliopi Stara who studies excommunicated forests and sacred groves in Greece. Kalipi Stara, with the University University of Ioannina is currently leading post doctoral research on locally adapted conservation systems in […]

Japanese translation of the “IUCN UNESCO Sacred Natural Sites Guidelines” launched.

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The Japanese section of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Japanese recently and proudly launched their translation of the “IUCN-UNESCO Sacred Natural Sites Guidelines”. The launch happened late last month at the conference of parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity.  It was part of a series of events that highlighted the role of […]

Conservation Experience: The Enduring influence of Lindisfarne Holy Island, UK.

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The Sacred Natural Site Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, scientists and other’s. This time we are featuring the experience of Mr. Robert Wild who has developed a case study on Lindisfarne Holy Island as part of the Delos Initiative. Robert is a social scientist, ecologist and also coordinator for the Sacred […]