ABSTRACT
Although not necessarily sacred in a traditional sense, many landscapes and features of nature have cultural, spiritual, historical, and aesthetic meanings, values, and associations that make them important to members of the general public. The sense of wonder and awe that nature inspires for secular as well as religious people has the power to motivate major, widespread support for environmental protection. This chapter focuses on ways in which the management and governance of protected and conserved areas can draw on the cultural and spiritual significance of nature to involve the general public in making conservation more sustainable, inclusive, and effective.
