As part of this shared effort CSVPA Co Chair Bas Verschuuren teamed up with IUCN member Pronatura Mexico which Biocultural Unit helped prepare press releases and CD’s with the translations on it. The presentation was introduced by Nik Louphukine, Chair of the WCPA and also included a presentation of Pronatura Mexico’s work on a national inventory of SNS by Jaime Santiago.

 

Based on his experience with land reformation, Pronatura Director Martin Gutierrez also spoke of the specific importance of the SNS Guidelines for Mexico and made a commitment to THE CSVPA Specialist Group to print 5000 copies of the book! CSVPA is very happy with this great news and are hoping the publication will reach deeper into Latin American countries where many SNS are in need of recognition, conservation and protection.

 

As a result of this success we are now scoping the opportunity for creating a central American Chapter to the CSVPA. If you are located in a Central American country or your work is otherwise connected to the region please contact CSVPA to join the Central American chapter! One of many task at hand for the chapter would be to test the guidelines for which the Mexican Commission on Protected Areas CONANP has also expressed an interest.

 

Part of CSVPA efforts at WILD9 also included the preparation of a resolution on the protection on conservation of sacred natural sites based very much on a similar resolution developed by CSVPA and adopted by IUCN in October 2008 (more info below).

 

To conclude enjoy some cultural and spiritual values of Wilderness (Conceptualised by IUCN as category 1b PA’s) were very much central to the event and many made mention of the sacredness of these places. In fact their very status as wilderness areas caused few people to proclaim them sacred and press for securing their conservation!

 

These are but a few accounts from the Conference that anecdote the sacred (remember the links to additional information below):

 

Jane GOODAL “that humanity has lost wisdom inherited from indigenous communities, for example, that we need to reconnect our head with our heart to give young people hope which they lost because past generations have compromised  their future,

 

Mayan SHAMANS shamans cleansed and blessed WILD9

 

Larry MERCULIEF First Nations Chief reminded the Congress that the people of the north - land of the Eagle – and the  south  -land of the condor - should preserve the sacred lands for the benefit of future generations,  “de corazón a corazón”(From heart to heart),

 

Monseñor BALAUZARAN Bishop of Yucatan gave ecumenical blessings , and recalled the ethical values in direct relation to preserving nature hand in hand with spiritual values of indigenous peoples.

 

Ian PLAYER and Vance G. MARTIN (Chair of the Wilderness Foundation) reminded us to the spiritual values of wilderness and that as such nature and people are connected.

 

 

English:

 

Spanish:

 

At Wild 9 Merida CSVPA formed a coalition with Pronatura and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in order to pass a motion on SNS: