期刊名称：International Journal of Development and Sustainability
印刷版ISSN：2186-8662
出版年度：2015
卷号：4
期号：3
页码：322-336
出版社：International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS)
摘要：Religion and spirituality are often important contributors to social norms in traditional communities. These social norms, manifestedthrough socio-cultural practices, have been accredited with having conservation benefits. This research investigated the motives behind, and potential conservation benefits of such practices, through interviewing indigenous residents and local officials within three regions of Ghana. Strict taboos can contribute directly to conservation, through restricting activities in specific habitats such as sacred groves, and restricting the timing, methods and species of resource harvesting. Ceremonial practices such as festivals, sacrifices and worship, have indirect conservation benefits through reinforcing the relationship between people and nature. This research proposes that habitat protection through social taboos -which maintains the environmental setting-combined with ceremonial behaviours, are fundamental to the continuation of these belief systems. However, the belief systems may be disrupted by increasing pressures from development, which threatens the sacred sites and the longevity of conservation in the region.
关键词：Conservation; Environmental spirituality; Ghana; Sacred groves; Social norms; Taboos
