Reverence and responsibility in forest ethics: inserting the meaning of life back into the culture of possession

Challenging global forest ethics

The paper argues that spiritual reverence and biocentric responsibility deserve a place in the foundations of global forest ethic. The author finds a pattern to copy in the African notion of ecotheandric balance - balancing the interests of ecosystem integrity, spiritual reverence and human interest. African models of local democracy beneath the palaver tree also offer a way forward - their traditional local meeting place for reaching consensus through discussion. The author calls for a shift in forest ethics from preoccupations of having and manipulating, towards being and understanding.

In bringing about a change in global forest ethics, the author calls individuals to challenge powerful institutions that shape the international forest agenda, including UNFF, ITTO and the World Bank. [adapted from author]

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Reverence and responsibility in forest ethics: inserting the meaning of life back into the culture of possession