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The concept of acceptance, as developed by German social psychology, has been extended to the field of geographical research. It is applied to spatial structures that have been imposed on local territories by global policies. In particular it has been used for national parks, to define the level of acceptance by the local communities concerned. In this case, « acceptance » implies a high degree of acceptance, which means that people identify with the values embodied by the new structure. This concept enables us to better understand the tacit divergences over fundamental values that occur in social relations before or after a conflict over land use. Mapping the degree of acceptance also helps us to identify the territorial factors involved in the variety of reactions from one municipality to another. This supports the idea of an « acceptance crater » around national parks. Encouraged by the example of regional parks, the managers of national parks seek to enhance local recognition of their action. The difficulty lies in appealing to the public without altering the park’s nature, which finally results in a debate between acceptance and adaptation.