What a great discovery. The IUCN WCPA Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas Task Force has defined a typology of intangible values associated with protected areas, many of which overlap with Kellert’s typology of wildlife values which I have based my research on. The WCPA values include: existence, recreational, aesthetic, research and monitoring, educational, identity and cultural. It’s quite possible that educational, r&m and identity could apply to birds so further research on this is needed.

The Task Force Leader has recommended this book for further reading: Harmon and Putney 2003. The full value of parks – from economics to the intangible. Rowman & Littlefield.

Just as exciting is the fact that the Task Force Leader is based in Scotland, around the corner from where I spent a formative year between school and uni. How about that.

But more about the CSVSG:

The network seeks to identify, define, and provide guidelines for managing the cultural and spiritual dimensions of protected areas.

The Task Force on the Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas was established in 1998. Anyone who is interested is encouraged to participate, especially if you are willing to invest some time to further the Task Force’s activities. Since all participants in the Task Force, including the Coordinator, are volunteers, its work advances quite slowly.

The WCPA has played an important role in bringing together and disseminating methodologies for the identification and quantification of the economic values of protected areas. This work is complemented by that of the Task Force, which seeks to identify, define, and provide guidelines for managing the Cultural and Spiritual dimensions of protected areas. This work is accomplished through e-mail communication among the network participants, working sessions at major events, such as WCPA meetings, and through individual projects.