Benin. The role of spiritual values. Practices The contribution of tradi-tional religious beliefs to nature protection, however, is not limited to the creation of sacred groves or similar forms of ex-situ conservation. Spiritual values play an im-portant role in directing resource use to sus-tainable, ecologically-sound, and efficient practices. For instance, the so-called totems or interdits are a set of taboos that keep adepts of different cults from using animal and plant products. Taboo plants species with threat status in Benin and in West Africa include the toddy palm (Borassus aethiopum), the iroko tree (Milicia excelsa), and the candlewood tree (Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides). The burning of wood from the silk cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) and the red kapok tree (Bombax costatum) is also forbidden. Other species, albeit not endangered, offer important ecosystem services and forms of use that might pose a threat at the community level (such as extraction for lumber) are co