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Finding solutions for conservation practitioners to halt the damage done to the world’s ecosystems and accompanying degradation of biological and cultural diversity which has been taking place at an extremely high pace over the last 50 years. The project applies scientific theory and participatory approaches in order to integrate cultural and spiritual values into ecosystem and nature conservation management and policy. Some of CVNI’s objectives on Nature conservation management and policy:
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CVNI will develop management advice and strategies for nature conservation based on bio-cultural values with a focus on cultural and spiritual values.
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CVNI will demonstrate the opportunities for the integration of cultural and spiritual values in nature conservation policy from local to international scales
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Improve understanding of human ecosystem relationships through the promotion of cultural and spiritual values and their underlying socio-ecologial mechanisms such as traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous environmental ethics.
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The CVNI approach will be applied at the case studies and the resulting lessons learned will be disseminated and worked into guidelines.
Some of the work that CVNI is undertaking in order to integrate cultural and spiritual values into nature conservation management and policy:
Protection in the field:
CVNI is CVNI is currently working on case studies in Northern Australia and is developing opportunities in other places around the world (South Africa, Mongolia etc.). In northern Australia CVNI has assisted in developing recreational fishing guidelines based on cultural values. In South Africa CVNI has assisted in advocating the importance of biocultural approaches in ecosystem restoration projects.
Collaboration:
Networking and partnerships: CVNI collaborates with the IUCN task force on cultural and spiritual values, CSVPA of the WCPA in order to mainstream the integration of cultural and spiritual values in protected area management. CVNI collaborates with a range of partners and is, as part of it's in depth study into cultural and spiritual values in conservation, in touch with many professionals in the field. A good example of such collaboration is a first publication with IUCN, EarthCollective and FSD on integration of cultural and spiritual values in conservation management and policy is available. PDF.
CVNI is also collaborating with COMPAS to improve understanding of endogenous development in biocultural approaches for nature conservation. CVNI has submitted a book chapter which is an overview of cultural and spiritual values in ecosystem management for publication in the COMPAS series. PDF.
Communication:
CVNI is presenting, publishing and communicating its results at international events in order to push the integration of cultural and spiritual values on the conservation agenda and to make local peoples voices heart. Amongst others CVNI participated in the COMPAS conference on Biocultural Diversity and is preparing for a presentation and publication at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona 2008. For a list of events see the agenda.
The Cambridge Center for Landscapes and People CCLP collaborates with CVNI in order to disseminate its lessons learned through international conferences and scientific publications. In the future CVNI and CCLP will be developing workshops and lectures for educational purposes.
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