World Network of Biosphere Reserves in Europe and North America

Under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, there are 308 biosphere reserves recognized as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in Europe and North America (as of May 2023). These are distributed across 41 countries in the region.[1][2]

Biosphere reserves operating under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme aim to achieve three mandate management objectives of conservation, sustainable socio-economic development, and logistic support.[3]

The list

Below is the list of biosphere reserves in Europe and North America, organized by country/territory, along with the year these were designated as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

The list does not include the Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of the Mediterranean, a biosphere reserve shared between Morocco and Spain, which has been classified as part of the Arab States region.

Albania

Austria

Großwalsertal, Austria
  • (Gossenköllesee (1977) - withdrawn in 2014)
  • (Gurgler Kamm (1977) - withdrawn in 2014)
  • (Lobau (1977) - withdrawn in 2016)
  • (Neusiedler See (1977) - withdrawn in 2016)
  • Großwalsertal (since 2000)
  • Wienerwald (since 2005)
  • Salzburger Lungau & Kärntner Nockberge (since 2012)

Belarus

Bulgaria

Canada

Croatia

Czech Republic

Czech Republic and Poland

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

France and Germany

France and Italy

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Isle of Man

  • Isle of Man (2016) - entire territory and territorial seas

Israel

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Montenegro

Netherlands

North Macedonia

Poland

Portugal

Portugal and Spain

Romania

Romania and Ukraine

Russian Federation

Serbia

Slovakia

Tatra Mountains, Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

Ukraine

Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

The US Biosphere Network (USBN) consists of 28 internationally recognized biosphere regions across the continental United States, the US Caribbean, Alaska, and Hawai’i.[11] In 2021, the USBN adopted the term biosphere regions instead of biosphere reserves.[12] The mission of the USBN is to foster national and international connections among biosphere regions, to facilitate their sharing of best practices, and to support their work toward connecting people and nature.[13]

Sites withdrawn[14]

References

  1. ^ "Europe & North America". Ecological Sciences for Sustainable Development. UNESCO.
  2. ^ "Biosphere reserves withdrawn from the World Network of Biosphere reserves". Ecological Sciences for Sustainable Development. UNESCO. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  3. ^ Van, Cuong, Chu; Peter, Dart; Marc, Hockings (2017). "Using Enhancing our heritage toolkit for assessing management effectiveness of the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve". International Journal of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. 1 (2): 56–76. doi:10.25316/ir-77.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "23 new sites added to UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves". UNESCO. 14 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative".
  6. ^ a b c d UNESCO (26 July 2018). "Twenty-four new sites join UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves 26 July 2018". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  7. ^ "Europe & North America: 292 biosphere reserves in 37 countries". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Biosfärområde Kristianstads Vattenrike – Bra för natur och människa" (in Swedish). Biosfärkontoret Kristianstads Vattenrike. May 4, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  9. ^ "Vänerskärgården med Kinnekulle" (in Swedish). Biosfärområde Vänerskärgården med Kinnekulle. May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  10. ^ "Välkommen till Biosfärområde Blekinge Arkipelag!" (in Swedish). Biosfärområde Blekinge Arkipelag. September 8, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  11. ^ "United States Biosphere Network". Center For Large Landscape Conservation. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Biosphere Regions". George Wright Society. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  13. ^ "FAQs About Biosphere Regions". Center For Large Landscape Conservation. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Biosphere reserves in Europe & North America". UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

Further reading