Ecosystem Services and Sacred Natural Sites: Reconciling Material and Non-material Values in Nature Conservation

Shonil A. Bhagwat

Environmental Values, 2009, vol. 18, issue 4, pages 417-427

Abstract: Ecosystems services are provisions that humans derive from nature. Ecologists trying to value ecosystems have proposed five categories of these services: preserving, supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural. While this ecosystem services framework attributes 'material' value to nature, sacred natural sites are areas of 'non-material' spiritual significance to people. Can we reconcile the material and non-material values? Ancient classical traditions recognise five elements of nature: earth, water, air, fire and ether. This commentary demonstrates that the perceived properties of these elements correspond with the ecosystem services framework. Whilst the two can be reconciled, the 'elements of nature' framework is argued to be more suitable to make a case for conservation of sacred natural sites because it can be attractive to traditional societies whilst being acceptable to Western science.

Keywords: Ecosystem services; elements; nature; sacred sites (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q01 Q51 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/whp/ev/2009/00000018/00000004/art00004 (application/pdf)
downloads of articles require payment or registration of paid subscription

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:env:journl:ev18:ev1817

Access Statistics for this article

Environmental Values is edited by Clive Spash

More articles in Environmental Values from White Horse Press
Series data maintained by Andrew Johnson ().