Here's something I found interesting regarding the whole Jumbo Valley ordeal. Is it relevant to this thread? Maybe?
The same environmentalists who believe in evolution and are essentially godless use, for their argument to protect the valley, the argument of the native people that this valley is special to them because it's where the bear spirits are born and die. We know the environmentalists don't believe it, but they will use it to further their own cause.
That's a pretty loaded start to the sentence. But assuming that is true, I still don't necessarily see a contradiction there. Just because you don't believe in something doesn't mean you can't protect other ability to visit/venerate that area. I am not a Hindu, but I would not want to destroy some area they though was special for religious reasons. I don't think that's an incoherent position to take. But, if I then allowed for a Buddhist landmark to get demolished and said something like "it's all nonsense anyway", then I would be inconsistent.
But yes, there is also an aspect of piggybacking on using someone else's beliefs because it helps meet your own end.