ABSTRACT
As indicated by the results reported in the other chapters in this section, the definition of a conservation ethic remains somewhat vague. In this chapter, we use a comparative approach to continue to explore its meaning and ways to measure it. Building on our explorations into stakeholder identification with seven dimensions—proximity, preexisting rights, dependency, poverty, indigenous knowledge, culture–forest integration, and power deficit—we focused on some particularly relevant questions:
Is a conservation ethic intimately connected to a feeling of proximity to the forest?
Is a conservation ethic identifiably different from a close “forest–culture link”?
What role does spirituality play?
How can we assess a conservation ethic quickly and easily?
