The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative, IUCN Asian Regional Office and the World Commission on Protected Areas in Japan are developing a publication entitled: Asian Sacred Natural Sites: Philosophy and Practice in Protected Areas and Conservation. The publication is part of the Asian Network Project that kicked off at the first Asian Parks Congress in Sendai 2013. Several of the presenters are writing chapters for the book that will also be linked to online case studies in order to present a truly interactive resource. Several authors are already writing chapters and developing online case studies and in case you are interested too, please contact info@sacrednaturalsites.org
Mr. Jailab Rai from Nepal, a chapter author to the publication is here seen at the Asian Parks Congress explaining the importance of sacred natural sites in relation to protected areas in Nepal. Photo: APC.
The publication will boast chapters from over 20 different Asian countries covering indigenous spiritualities as well as several mainstream faiths across different types of management and governance of protected areas. The editors of the publication are currently in discussion with IUCN and potential publishers to ensure that this publication will be complementary to the earlier volume: “Sacred Natural Sites: Conserving Nature and Culture”. As the editors are keen to ensure that materials in the publication will be peer reviewed we are looking for knowledgeable people who would like to help with this process between September 2014 and January 2015 (contact: info@sacrednaturalsites.org).
At the IUCN World Parks Congress a side event will mark the soft launch of the publication and those authors attending the congress will present their work and engage in discussion and networking with other delegates. A date has not yet been assigned but for more news on the side event stay tuned into www.sacrednaturalsites.org
