Appendix A from Practical Guide from Man in the Biosphere, UNESCO (1987)

Biosphere reserves are protected areas of representative terrestrial and coastal environments which have been internationally recognized under the Unesco MAB Programme f or t heir va1ue in conservation and in providing the scientific knowledge, skills and human values to support sustainable development. Biosphere reserves are united to form a worldwide network which facilitates sharing of information relevant to the conservation and management of natural and managed ecosystems.

5.2                  Biosphere reserves and the MAB Programme

        In the beginning of the 4AB Programme, MAB Project Area 8 concerned the conservation of natural areas and of the genetic material that they contaIn. The rationale behind this theme was the need to counter the increasing loss of living species, the lack of knowledge of how to conserve them and the inadequacies of traditional approaches to nature protection. This project area was developed subsequently in 1974 by a Task Force which drew up a set of objectives and characteristics of special sites, called "biosphere reserves" to identify them with the rest of the MAB programme. Inherent in the original formulation of the biosphere reserve concept was the idea that biosphere reserves serve as a locus, or logistic base, for national activities - which now include pilot projects and comparative studies - which contribute to the MAB Programme at the national and international levels. Also, there was the basic idea that the human factor in MAB should be present and benefit from biosphere reserves, particularly in that they generate the knowledge and skills required for rational, sustainable development.

        Over the years, biosphere reserves and the international biosphere reserve network they constitute have gradually become a key element of the MAB Programme in general (as at mid 1987 there are 266 biosphere reserves in 70 countries). It is for these reasons that biosphere reserves are given a privileged place in this Practical Guide, and that one of the first actions that new MAB National Committees is encouraged to do is to consider the establishment of a biosphere reserve to act as a focus for future MAB work.

5.3. The Action Plan for Biosphere Reserves

    In 1983,the First International Biosphere Reserve Congress was jointly convened in Minsk, Bvelorussian SSR by Unesco and UNEP, and in cooperation with FAO and IUCN. This Congress laid the groundwork for the Action Plan for biosphere Reserves which was adopted by the MAB- ICC at its eighth session in December 1984 at its eighth session in 1984. The Action Plan was subsequently published in "Nature and Resources" volume XX N 4 in Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Russian and widely distributed as offprints throughout the world. This Action Plan identifies a range of actions grouped under 9 objectives for consideration by governments and concerned international organizations in developing the multiple  functions of biosphere reserves within the overall context of MAB Programme. These actions concretely serve to implement the World





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    Conservation Strategy.  In summary, governments and international organizations (notably UNEP, FAO, Unesco, IUCN) are invited to undertake activities which wil1 improve and expand the international biosphere reserve network, to develop basic knowledge f or conserving ecosystems and biological diversity and to make biosphere reserves more effective in linking conservation and development in fulfilling the broad objectives of MAB (see Section 10. 3 on the Action P1an for Biosphere Reserves). One of the actions of the Action Plan foresaw the establishment of a Scientific Advisory Panel for Biosphere Reserves whose task , amongst others was to refine criteria for the selection and management of biosphere reserves (see section 3. 5). The sections that follow hereafter are based on the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory panel for Biosphere Reserves, as endorsed by the MAB Council.

5.4                Guidelines for selection

    The initial recommended criteria and guidelines for the choice and establishment of biosphere reserves were elaborated by a special Task Force in 1974 and presented in MAB Report Series No -22. In reviewing these criteria , the Scientific Advisory Panel for Biosphere Reserves considered that there were three main concerns present in the biosphere reserve concept from the beginning, although at the time they were not clearly expressed nor articulated. These were:

(i)     the need to reinforce the conservation of genetic resources and ecosystems and the maintenance of biological diversity (conservation concern);

(ii)     the need to set up a well-identified international network of areas directly related to MAB field research and monitoring activities, including the accompanying training and information exchange (logistic concern);

(iii)     the need to associate concretely environmental protection and land resources development as a governing principle for research and education activities of the MAB programme (development concern).

These three concerns can follow from the triangular conceptual framework of Figure 2 below made by the interlinking of the conservation, logistic (research and monitoring of international significance) and development concerns. It is the combination - and harmonization of these three concerns which characterize the Biosphere Reserve.

DEVELOPMENT CONCERN

ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENT WITH DEVELOPMENT

CONSERVATION CONCERN

BIOSPHERE

RESERVE

 

LOGISTIC CONCERN

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

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A:   PRIMARY CONCERNS

1)  Conservation concern:

Biosphere  reserves should help to strengthen the conservation of biological diversity, genetic resource and ecosystems. The following factors arc important:

(a) Value for conservation 

    A biosphere reserve must contain at least one sample of an ecosystem that is typical of a biogeographic unit, selected after criteria of diversity, naturalness and effectiveness as a conservation unit. The area concerned should be large enough to ensure the sustainability of viable populations of the species of the ecosystem. Such samples shall normally constitute the core area (or core areas) and should be effectively protected so that they are minimally disturbed. Human activities in the core area are limited to those which will not adversely affect the continuing natural evolution and functioning of the ecosystem.

(b) Coverage

    There should be biosphere reserves in as many biogeographic regions and covering as many biological communities as possible in order that the global network of biosphere reserves can contribute to the conservation of terrestrial and coastal/marine biological diversity and provide models for sustainable and appropriate development. In terms of conservation, biosphere reserves alone are not intended to protect all of biological diversity but complement other efforts.

2) Logistic concern (international research and monitoring network)

     This "logistic" concern covers two ideas: that of providing an operational base and facilities for research and monitoring (as well as training and environmental education activities); and also that of contributing to an international network by communicating information deriving from MAB research and monitoring. The following factors are important:

(a) Potential for scientific research and monitoring

    The authorities responsible for biosphere reserves should have the potential for participating in interdisciplinary research programs involving the natural and social sciences. Hence, biosphere reserves should have, or should plan to have facilities for coordinated research, such as for determining the requirements for conserving biological diversity, assessing the impacts of pollution on the structure and function of ecosystems, evaluating the effects of traditional and modern land use practices on ecosystem processes, and developing sustainable production systems for degraded areas. Some elements which can be used in the potential for scientific research and monitoring include:

                                -accumulation of scientific over long time periods;

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                        -history of scientific research programmes and existence of ongoing projects;

                        -a balance of fundamental research and applied studies;

                        -emphasis on research to resolve specific land use or environmental problems;

                        -participation in international programmes on research and monitoring;

                        -availability of research facilities and logistical support.

In some cases, proposed biosphere reserves may not have a history of research, nor have elaborated a research programme. For these, the concerned MAB National Committee should certify that the administrative authorities responsible for the planning and management of the proposed biosphere reserve acknowledge their commitment to facilitate a programme of research and monitoring.

(b) Commitment to the MAB Programme and international cooperation

                    Biosphere reserves should make a commitment to work within the international MA B framework for comparative studies of similar environmental problems in different parts of the world; for testing, standardizing and transferring new methodologies; and for cooperating in the development of information management systems. In nominating and encouraging activities in biosphere reserves, MAB National Committees should acknowledge their commitment to pursue the objectives identified in the Action Plan for Biosphere Reserves.

3)   Development concern

                Biosphere reserves should associate environment and land and water resources development in their research, education and demonstration activities. The following factors are important:

                            (a) Local organization and potential for participation of local people

Each biosphere reserve (or each administrative unit in biosphere reserves containing multiple sites) should have a managing authority which must acknowledge its responsibility in cooperating with local and regional institutions for planning and managing the biosphere reserve in order to benefit the people living in or around its boundaries. The managing authority should also indicate its willingness, as is possible and appropriate, to involve local people in the decision-making process pertaining to the management of the reserve and to its various activities.

(b)     Value as a model for development

                In terms of sustainable development, it is highly usefu1 that a biosphere reserve contains a representation of the landscape, soils,

microclimate, etc., occurring in a larger surrounding area so that the research taking place in the biosphere reserve will be relevant and can be applied in this larger region.

        The biosphere reserve as a whole, including the core(s), buffer zone and transition area should be, or have the potential to be, a model of the harmonious relationship between man and nature, reflecting the land use patterns and the cultural and ethnic characteristics of the biogeographic unit. It should be an. example that effectively links conservation to development, in which the benefits of the biosphere reserve radiate into the surrounding area. The biosphere reserve should have the potential to play a significant role in solving the interrelated environmental, land use and socioeconomic problems found elsewhere in the region or country.

(c) Potential for extension and demonstration

                            The work conducted in the biosphere reserve should, whenever possbile, lead to practical results which could be used by the local population for land and water resource development through extension and demonstration activities.

B.                       SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE THREE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES

While the spatial organization has to be adapted to a large variety of local situations, a biosphere reserve should normally consist of the three following types of areas: (see Figure 3).

1.                Core area or areas

Each biosphere reserve includes one or several core areas which are strictly protected according to well defined conservation objectives and consist of typical samples of natural or minimally disturbed ecosystems. Collectively these core areas should be large enough to be effective as in situ conservation units and, whenever possible, have value as benchmarks for measurements of long term changes in the ecosystems they represent and in the-biosphere. The size and the shape of the core area(s) depend on the type of landscape or aquatic environment in which they are located and on the conservation objectives they are intended to meet. They can obviously be much larger in regions of low human population density than in regions with heavier human pressure and less available land. Core areas are usually delineated, but may remain undelineated in certain cases within a delineated buffer zone.

2.                  Buffer zone

The core areas are normally surrounded by a buffer zone which

must be strictly delineated and very often corresponds, together with the core areas, to a single and autonomous administrative unit (e.g: national park). This buffer zone must have a clearly established legal or administrative status even when several administrative authorities are involved in its management . Only activities compatible with the

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protection of the core areas may take place. This includes. in particular, research, environmental education and training, as well as tourism and recreation or other uses carried out in accordance with the management requirements. Besides its other functions, the buffer zone often serves to protect areas of land that could be used to meet future needs for experimental research.

3) Transition area

The core area(s) and the buffer zone are surrounded by a transition area which promotes several characteristic functions of the biosphere reserve, particularly its development function. it may include experimental research areas, traditional use areas or rehabilitation areas. Usually, the transition area as a whole is not strictly delineated and corresponds more to biogeographic than to administrative limits. It normally extends the above-mentioned areas into a larger and open area where efforts are made to develop cooperative activities between researchers, managers and the local population, with a view to ensuring appropriate planning and sustainable resource development in the region while maintaining the greatest possible harmony with the purposes of the biosphere reserve. The management of the transition area is usually the responsibility of a variety of authorities and therefore requires appropriate coordination arrangements.

 

C. CLUSTER BIOSPHERE RESERVES

The cluster concept refers to a combination of a number of non-contiguous and possibly of research and education centers or laboratories areas serving the various functions of biosphere reserves. The overall spatial distribution is comparable to that of a biosphere reserve made up of only one land unit (see Figure 4). The different parts of a cluster biosphere reserve are not usually administered by the same entity and hence the overall management of a cluster biosphere reserve benefits from coordinating mechanisms through which the various administrative authorities concerned - as well as the local population will cooperate.

 

D. MANAGEMENT PLANS

Each biosphere reserve should prepare and implement a management plan covering in particular the core areas and the buffer zone. However, such plans take time to prepare and usually are not ready when the site concerned is being proposed as a biosphere reserve. Nevertheless, the MAB National Committees should certify that the administrative authorities responsible for the planning and management of the proposed biosphere reserve acknowledge their commitment to pursue the objectives identified in the Action Plan, and in particular to prepare the corresponding management guidelines.

 

5.5 Procedure for designation of Biosphere Reserves

MAB Secretariat provides MAB National Committees with the revised Biosphere Reserve Nomination form, the 1ist of  existing biosphere reserves, the practical guide.

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CORE AREA (STRICTLY PROTECTED)

BUFFER ZONE (STRICTLY DELINEATED)

TRANSITION AREA

HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

                                                 RESEARCH STATION OR EXPERIMENT

(I n this zonation, already proposed in 1974, the core area is strictly protected. The buffer zone (formerly called 'inner buffer zone') can be used for regulated non-destructive activities and is strictly delineated. A national park normally corresponds to a core area toaster with a buffer zone cf this type. The transition area (which was originally called 'outer buffer zone') covers other functions of the biosphere reserve including experimental research, traditional use, rehabilitation, etc., and it extends to form an area of cooperation in the biosphere reserve.)

to MAB and the Action Plan for Biosphere Reserves drawing attention to the guidelines for the selection of biosphere reserves and the need for adequate biogeographical coverage of the inter-national biosphere reserve. Additional information on biogeographical classification systems is provided upon request.

MAB National Committee (or its national working group or directorate for biosphere reserves) reviews potential sites using guidelines and taking account of the need for coverage in the biosphere reserve network. MAB National Committee secures cooperative agreements with local authorities responsible for the ownership and management of the proposed biosphere reserve.

MAB National Committee completes biosphere reserve nomination form, obtains signature of Chairman and subeiits nomination with maps and supporting documentation to the MAB Secretariat.

MAB Secretariat registers nomination, acknowledges receipt and submits to a small group of experts on biosphere reserves. MAB Secretariat can also request further information from MAB National Committee if deemed necessary.

Advisory group of experts reviews nomination and makes recommendations to Bureau of MAB-ICC.

KAB Secretariat requests further information as appropriate from the MAB National Committee, and submits nomination and the recommendation of the advisory group to Bureau of MAB-ICC.

Bureau of MAB-ICC decides on nomination taking account of the advisory group's recommendation. On approval, the site is officially included in the international biosphere reserve network at this time.

MAB Secretariat transmits letter of approval and biosphere reserve certificate bearing the site's name, signed by the Director-General of Unesco, to the MAB National Comnittee concerned.

MAB National Committee transmits certificate to biosphere reserve manager and, whenever possible, holds dedication cremony

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