Boris Hillmann and Jan Barkmann suggest in their Correspondence that the world's religions could make a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation (Nature 461, 37; 2009). This was also a major theme in the interfaith Parliament of the World's Religions, which as held in Melbourne, Australia, this month (http://www.parliamentofreligions.org).

But the attitudes of different religions towards conservation can vary greatly. Compare, for example, the anthropocentric mainstream Muslim position that humanity has responsibility for Allah's creation, which has been given to us as a gift, with the biocentric Jain belief that every being — animal, plant or human — has a soul and should be treated with respect.

Religious practitioners are more likely to help fund the protection of species and habitats if their religion formally values biodiversity. Until recently, most faiths had not formulated a stance on conservation practice, as few religious traditions explicitly promote it. Networks such as the Forum for Religion and Ecology at Yale University (http://fore.research.yale.edu) have promoted discourse by searching for environmental inspiration in religious teachings.

It is not enough to rely on the idea that sacred places may act as de facto biodiversity reserves, because sacred sites can still be overexploited. Embedding some of the values of conservation biology into the teachings and practice of the four billion people affiliated with one of the world's 11 mainstream faiths is a promising way forward.