The International Day for Biosphere Reserves

About:

Biosphere Reserves:

• Biosphere Reserve (BR) is an international designation by UNESCO for representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large area of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or a combination thereof.
• 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.
• Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. 

World Network of Biosphere Reserves:

• The World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) was formed in 1971, as a backbone for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and living in harmony with nature.
• 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.
• There are now 738 properties in 134 countries, including 12 in India, four in Sri Lanka, and three in the Maldives.

South Asia:

• In South Asia, over 30 biosphere reserves have been established.
• The first one was the Hurulu Biosphere Reserve, in Sri Lanka, with 25,500 hectares of tropical dry evergreen forest.
• In India, the first biosphere reserve was designated by UNESCO in 2000, namely, the blue mountains of the Nilgiris stretching over Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.