Sacred Natural Sites

Bas Verschuuren serves as Co-chair with IUCN's Specialist Group on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas, and is a scientist and facilitator with EarthCollective. Bas has over 10 years of international experience integrating cultural and spiritual values in conservation management and policy. Robert G. Wild is an ecologist and social scientist with 25 years practical experience of working with communities at protected areas in East Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Europe. He is chair of the IUCN's Specialist Group on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas. Jeffrey A. McNeely is Senior Science Advisor at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. He has worked in international conservation for over forty years and has written or edited dozens of books on a wide range of topics that include cultural values of nature. Gonzalo Oviedo is an anthropologist and environmentalist and works as Senior Adviser for Social Policy at the International Union for Conservation of Nature facilitating the integration of social issues in conservation work worldwide. Gonzalo focuses on livelihood security, culture, rights and governance.