Many of the terms used in this volume have long been the subject of academic debate that is beyond the scope and objectives of these guidelines. For this reason, we have adopted the working definitions set out below. We are conscious of the fact that there are many, layered meanings to most words, and that many fundamental concepts expressed here do not easily translate from other languages into English (and the reverse is also true). A single language cannot express the riches of some 6,000 languages worldwide. Many cultures have not experienced the separation from nature that is common in the West. Notably, the equivalent word for “nature” in many languages includes the sense of the sacred that it does not in English. Thus, it may be hard to find direct equivalents in many languages for key terms such as “nature”, “sacred” and “faith” – let alone other words of recent coinage such as “biodiversity”.
Culture. Culture is a set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group. It encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs.1
Custodians. Individuals or groups of people, usually within traditional institutions, who have the responsibility to take care of a specific sacred natural site or sites. Custodians may reside either close to or at considerable distance from the sacred natural sites to which they are linked through history, culture, self identification and spiritual practice.
Mainstream faith. The eleven larger faiths which are, in alphabetical order, Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Daoism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.
Protected area (IUCN definition). An area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and of natural and associated cultural resources and managed through legal or other effective means (IUCN, 1994).2
Protected area (CBD definition). A geographically defined area, which is designated or regulated and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives.
Sacred site. An area of special spiritual significance to peoples and communities.
Sacred natural site. Areas of land or water having special spiritual significance to peoples and communities.
See also 1.2 Use of terms.
1 UNESCO, 2002 http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.phpURL_ID=13031&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
2 At the time of going to press a revised IUCN definition is under development but not finalized. The draft is “A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed to achieve the long-term conservation of nature, associated ecosystem services and cultural values [through legal or other effective means/through state or other effective governance]”.