Local perceptions of Tibetan village sacred forests in northwest Yunnan

Sacred natural sites have played important social and cultural roles in many cultures around the world for centuries. More recently, scientists have shown that sacred sites act as de facto protected areas. However , the potential for sacred sites to be integrated into conservation strategies depends on the motivations of people to protect them. The objective of this study is to understand people's relationships with village-level sacred forests in northwest Yunnan, China. We conducted 201 standardized open-ended interviews of both men and women over 18 years of age from six communities in the area near the city of Shangrila. While this region of Yunnan is undergoing dramatic socioeconomic changes that can contribute to changes in cultural values, we find no evidence that people's appreciation for sacred forests is declining. Our results show that the forests hold primarily religious meaning for people, people visit the forests regularly, and, while younger people know less about the forests, they do not differ in terms of use and appreciation, indicating that the value of the areas is not decreasing. Because people primarily view these sacred forests as religious sites and do not directly associate them with ecological value, we suggest that direct integration of these areas into conservation strategies may not be appropriate. Sacred natural sites have played important social and cultural roles in many cultures around the world for centuries (Rutte, 2011; Verschuuren et al., 2010). More recently, scientists have shown that sacred sites act as de facto protected areas. They protect biodiversity at multiple spatial scales and for a wide range of taxa (Bhagwat and Rutte, 2006; Dudley et al., 2009). The potential of these areas to conserve biodiversity has led conservationists to suggest that sacred areas should be integrated into conservation strategies (Dudley et al., 2005; Verschuuren et al., 2010). However, in the face of rapid social changes, sacred natural sites around the world are degrading (Dudley et al., 2005; Verschuuren et al., 2010). Cultural assimilation, imported religions, formal education , increasing migration, and other factors are all contributing to the breakdown of the traditional values and social structures that have served to protect these sacred areas (Barre et al., 2009). The reasons that people protect sacred natural sites are diverse and sites range in size from a particular tree or spring to large landscapes. Because sacred areas are often not formally designated or recognized, their existence and effectiveness is dependent …