The International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), which met in Paris from 27 to 30 May, has added 12 sites to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The additions bring the total number of biosphere reserves to 621 in 117 countries.
Biosphere Reserves are sites chosen by the MAB Programme to experiment with different approaches to the management of terrestrial, marine and coastal resources as well as fresh water. They also serve as in situ laboratories for sustainable development.
The new biosphere reserves are: Alakol (Kazakhstan); Gochang (Republic of Korea); Great Nicobar (India); Macizo de Cajas (Ecuador); Marais Audomarois (France); Mariñas Coruñesas e Terras do Mandeo (Spain); Mont-Viso (France); Monteviso Area della Biosfera del Monviso (Italy); Real Sitio de San Ildefonso-El Espinar (Spain); Snake Island, Laotie Mountain, (China); Terres de l’Ebre, Catalonia (Spain) and Ziarat Juniper Forest (Pakistan).
More information: UNESCO-MaB
