The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, and others that stand to protect sacred sites. This post features the experiences of Mr. Arvi Sepp from the ‘Estonian House of Taara and Native Religions’ which protects and revitalises sacred natural sites all over Estonia. Arvi Sepp and his colleagues […]
Banner image: Gongcheol Jeong (1960-2013, Republic of (South) Korea), was a Jeju shaman also called Shimbang. He participated in the cultural movement through theatrical activities and lived as a shaman who holds real guts (ceremony) for connecting people to sacred landscapes. (Photo: Bas Verschuuren 2012) After last year’s preparatory work we are now pleased to introduce […]
This special feature of the “Conservation Experiences” is based on an interesting case developed by the Delos Initiative. The Delos initiative is well know for its work on Sacred Natural Sites in developed countries since 2005. The work presented in this feature is based on the monastic community that hosted the first Delos Workshop in […]
The Asian Parks Congress (APC), held in the city of Sendai, Japan from 13 – 18th November 2013 welcomed over 800 people from 22 Asian countries and from across the world. The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative and WCPA Japan hosted a dedicated working group session and a side event that discussed the rich and diverse dimensions of sacred […]
The 10ht World Wilderness Congress has seen significant discussions about many issues related to Sacred Natural Sites and Indigenous communities. The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative presented on the importance of Sacred Natural Sites in conservation strategies for spiritual landscapes as well as for worldwide networks on mountain trails. One of SNSI’s advisors, Mayan Spiritual Leader […]
With this article we would like to invite you to think creatively and critically about the role of science and by extension those of conservation and policy-making in relation to sacred natural sites. In particular, we invite you to consider the significance that sacred natural sites hold in the eyes of their custodians and communities […]
The 4th Books, Borders and Bikes Festival was held at Scotland’s longest continuously inhabited dwelling, Traquair House on the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders. Organised by Beyond Borders Scotland it is a unique festival of literature and thought that brings together leading writers, politicians, soldiers, lawyers and artists to discuss topics relevant to international […]
The Kogi in de Sierra Nevada de Santa Martha in Colombia are the custodians of the ‘heart of the world’. Their sacred territory including themselves and their spiritual leaders –the Mamos- are increasingly under threat from outside pressures. Read the letter from Calixto Suarez, Mamo of the Kogi. We feel powerless, as our land now belongs […]
The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, scientists and others. This post features the experiences of Ms. Sushmita Mandal and her colleagues at ATREE who have supported the Soliga with mapping their sacred natural sites in order to gain recognition of their local governance systems and forest stewardship practices. Ms. […]
Protected area managers, planners, local people and custodians in Portuguese speaking countries can now explore the Essential IUCN UNESCO Guidelines “Sacred Natural Sites, Guidelines for Protected Area Managers” in Portuguese. The Guidelines have been generously translated by professional translator Ms. Bruna Katletz from Brazil. “It’s hard to read and work on this subject without being […]
