Biosphere Reserve (BR) is an international designation by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large areas of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or a combination of both.
- It is a protected area where plants and animals are conserved.
- 1979 First Biosphere Reserve of the world established.
- There are currently(April 2021) 714 biosphere reserves in 129 countries, including 21 transboundary sites, that belong to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves
- Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Biosphere Reserves are designated under the intergovernmental MAB Programme by the Director-General of UNESCO. Their status is internationally recognized.
- Biosphere reserves are ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity.
The World Network of Biosphere Reserves of the MAB Programme consists of a dynamic and interactive network of sites of excellence. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves promotes North-South and South-South collaboration and represents a unique tool for international co-operation through sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, building capacity and promoting best practices.
Biosphere Reserves involve local communities and all interested stakeholders in planning and management. They integrate three main “functions”:
- Conservation of biodiversity and cultural diversity
- Economic development that is socio-culturally and environmentally sustainable
- Logistic support, underpinning development through research, monitoring, education and training
These three functions are pursued through the Biosphere Reserves’ three main zones
CORE AREAS
It comprises a strictly protected zone that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation. Human intervention is strictly prohibited. It is the innermost undisturbed ecosystem.
BUFFER ZONES
It surrounds or adjoins the core area, and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training and education. Only the research and education activities are permitted to humans.
TRANSITION AREA
The transition area is where communities foster socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable economic and human activities. Also known as zone of cooperation.
MAN AND THE BIOSPHERE (MAB) PROGRAMME
The MAB programme Launched in 1971, is an intergovernmental scientific programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for enhancing the relationship between people and their environments. It combines the natural and social sciences with a view to improving human livelihoods and safeguarding natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate and environmentally sustainable.
BIOSPHERE RESERVES IN INDIA
Indian government has established 18 biosphere reserves (categories roughly correspondingly to IUCN Category V Protected areas) to protect larger areas of natural habitat than a typical national park or animal sanctuary, and that often include one or more national parks or reserves.
| Year | Name | Location | State | Type | Key fauna | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1986 | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Part of Waynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley | Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka | Western Ghats | Nilgiri tahr, tiger, lion-tailed macaque | |
| 2 | 1988 | Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve | Parts of Chamoli District, Pithoragarh District & Bageshwar District | Uttarakhand | Western Himalayas | Snow leopard, Himalayan black bear | |
| 3 | 1989 | Gulf of Mannar | Indian part of Gulf of Mannar extending from Rameswaram island in the north to Kanyakumari in the south of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka | Tamil Nadu | Coasts | Dugong | |
| 4 | 1988 | Nokrek | In west Garo Hills | Meghalaya | Eastern hills | Red panda | |
| 5 | 1989 | Sundarbans | Part of delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river system | West Bengal | Gangetic Delta | Royal Bengal tiger | |
| 6 | 1989 | Manas | Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang Districts | Assam | Eastern Hills | Asiatic elephant, tiger, Assam roofedturtle, hispid hare, golden langur, pygmy hog | |
| 7 | 1994 | Simlipal | Part of Mayurbhanj district | Odisha | Deccan Peninsula | Gaur, royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant | |
| 8 | 1998 | Dihang-Dibang | Part of Siang and Dibang Valley | Arunachal Pradesh | Eastern Himalaya | Mishmi takin, musk deer | |
| 9 | 1999 | Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve | Parts of Betul District, Hoshangabad District and Chhindwara District | Madhya Pradesh | Semi-Arid | Giant squirrel, flying squirrel | |
| 10 | 2005 | Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve | Part of Annupur, Dindori and Bilaspur districts | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | Maikala Hills | Four-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, sarus crane, white-rumped vulture, sacred grove bush frog | |
| 11 | 2008 | Great Rann of Kutch | Part of Kutch, Morbi, Surendranagar and Patan districts; the largest biosphere reserve in India. | Gujarat | Desert | Indian wild ass | |
| 12 | 2009 | Cold Desert | Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary | Himachal Pradesh | Western Himalayas | Snow leopard | |
| 13 | 2000 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Parts of Kangchenjunga | Sikkim | East Himalayas | Snow leopard, red panda | |
| 14 | 2001 | Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve | Neyyar, Peppara and Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary and their adjoining areas | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | Western Ghats | Nilgiri tahr, Asian elephant | |
| 15 | 1989 | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve | Southernmost of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Islands | Saltwater crocodile | |
| 16 | 1997 | Dibru-Saikhowa | Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts | Assam | Eastern Hills | White-winged wood duck, water buffalo, black-breasted parrotbill, tiger, capped langur | |
| 17 | 2010 | Seshachalam Hills | Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts | Andhra Pradesh | Eastern Hills | Slender loris | |
| 18 | 2011 | Panna | Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in Madhya Pradesh | Madhya Pradesh |
18 Biosphere Reserves In India
- Largest Biosphere in India – Gulf of Munnar(Tamilnadu)
- Smallest Biosphere in India – Panna (Madhya Pradesh)
- First Biosphere in India – Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It is a part of Tamilnadu, Kerala, Karnataka.
Twelve of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.
| Name | States/ UT | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka | 2000 |
| 2 | Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve | Tamil Nadu | 2001 |
| 3 | Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve | West Bengal | 2001 |
| 4 | Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve | Uttarakhand | 2004 |
| 5 | Nokrek Biosphere Reserve | Meghalaya | 2009 |
| 6 | Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve | Madhya Pradesh | 2009 |
| 7 | Simlipal Biosphere Reserve | Odisha | 2009 |
| 8 | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 2013 |
| 9 | Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve | Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh | 2012 |
| 10 | Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve | Kerala and Tamil Nadu | 2016 |
| 11 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | 2018 |
| 12 | Panna National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 2020 |
India’s Bosphere reserves that are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list