Fifteen new sites added to UN World Biosphere list
Fifteen new sites in 10 countries have been added to the United Nations' World Network of Biosphere Reserves, including the first entries from Slovenia and Yemen, bringing the total to 440 sites in 97 countries.
Biosphere reserves are pilot sites, which perform three complementary functions - biodiversity conservation, development (integrating local communities), and logistic support (combining research, education, training and monitoring).
The new sites, approved by the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at its 8-11 July meeting at agency headquarters in Paris, include: Wudalianchi, China, marked by relatively recent volcanism with a great amount of surviving vegetation of the tertiary period, Yading, China, an eastern extension of the Tibetan plateau with high biological diversity and cultural values and Tuscan Islands, Italy, with a wide variety of habitats and degrees of human impact.
Also figuring on the new list are: Mount Elgon, Kenya, known for its endemic flora and fauna and for its role as a vital "water tower;" Littoral de Toliara, Madagascar, with a mix of mainland forest, mangroves and coral reefs; Banco Chinchorro, Mexico, a mosaic of open water, seagrass beds, mangroves, sand beaches and coral reefs; Sierra La Laguna, Mexico, with important and unique habitats, including a rare type of deciduous forest; Rio San Juan, Nicaragua, an impressive patchwork of ecosystems, including vast tropical forests, coastal and river ecosystems, major wetlands, and part of Lake Nicaragua; Far East Marine Biosphere Reserve, Russian, with a very rich marine biodiversity due to the meeting of boreal-arctic and subtropical currents; and Julian Alps, Slovenia, with the Triglav National Park managed in a cooperative agreement with the three neighbouring municipalities.
Other new sites were: Monfragüe, Spain, characterised by the traditional dehesas agro-pastoral system, with a remarkable interplay of biological and cultural diversity, Valles de Jubera, Leza, Cidacos y Alhama, Spain, a Mediterranean forest and grassland landscape shaped by a long history of human use, Valle de Laciana, Spain, a cooperative venture of four valley communities to promote tourism and new economic activities respectful of nature; Picos de Europa, Spain, one of the last protected refuges for European brown bear, wolf and capercaillie, and Socotra Archipelago, Yemen, renowned for remarkable plant diversity and cultural richness.