Scientists suggest a “spiritual metric” for protecting global forests

From California Academy of Sciences:

From the sacred church forests of Ethiopia to the revered groves of Bhutan, political and religious leaders around the world are working to conserve remaining forest canopies—a fragmented environment so expansive and critical to life on Earth that it’s often referred to as the “eighth continent.” In an article published this summer in BioScienceDr. Meg Lowman of the California Academy of Sciences along with Dr. Palatty Allesh Sinu of the Central University of Kerala in India recognize the unique success of preserving forests for their cultural and religious significance. Together Lowman and Sinu urge for stronger global recognition of spiritual values as a critical metric for safeguarding forest biodiversity.

“For Western scientists conducting research in developing countries, it can be difficult to break from our typical assessments for sustainability,” says Lowman. “But in order to champion conservation, we need to work within the value framework of the people closest to these forests.”

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