Biosphere Reserves: of Biosphere Reserves

UNESCO 2|2007 today J o u rn a L o f T h e g e rm a N c o mm i ss i o N f o R U N E SC O

Contents UNESCO

The World Network Biosphere Reserves: of Biosphere Reserves

Contributions by Model Regions with Christian Wulff Sigmar Gabriel a Global Reputation Gertrud Sahler Julia Marton-Lefèvre Natarajan Ishwaran Werner Konold Lenelis Kruse-Graumann Michael Succow

The Challenge Climate Change

Learning Laboratories for Sustainable Development

Job-Motor Biosphere Reserves UNESCO biosphere reserve and UNESCO World Heritage site Uluru (Ayers Rock – Mount Olga) Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Paul Mannix

Great Egret in the UNESCO biosphere reserve and UNESCO World Heritage site Everglades Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: ehpien

Lutz Möller Dear Reader,

Ayers Rock in Australia, the Everglades decreasing rainfall in many regions of in the United States, the Spanish island Europe. In turn, rising prices are an incen- Lanzarote and the Wadden Sea of tive to produce biomass for the produc- Germany and the Netherlands are world tion of energy, potentially using geneti- famous travel destinations. Did you know cally manipulated seed. What is the right that these are all UNESCO biosphere alternative: Should farmers abandon their reserves? land and leave it at the mercy of natural succession? Should they grow rapeseed UNESCO biosphere reserves are model and corn on an industrial scale? Or are regions for sustainable development. there economic frameworks for the They protect biodiversity, support regional remaining small-scale farming to survive? marketing and promote low-impact tourism as well as innovative, environmen- Sigmar Gabriel and Carlo Jaeger justify tally-friendly agriculture. They advance the necessity of biosphere reserves in education and research and interact in a the era of global change in their contri- world network. butions to this journal. The chairwoman of the German MAB (Man and the They are particularly important today in Biosphere) National Committee, Gertrud times of obvious global change. World- Sahler, while considering new challenges, wide environmental changes such as comes to the conclusion that biosphere climate change, desertification, and water reserves all the more earn to be strength- Photo © DUK shortage recently started to dominate the ened. headlines. Centres of power and economy are shifting rapidly, both within and UNESCO biosphere reserves have not between countries. Increasing migration only recently gained importance. Julia is, these days, seen to be a security risk Marton-Lefèvre describes know-how im- by many states. The age pyramid of many pulses for the management and zoning Werner Konold stresses in his contribu- countries is changing drastically. These of protected areas. Thomas Schaaf pre- tion that the accelerating dynamics of developments occur not least, as a result sents research on the impact of global cultural landscapes today need value of behavioural patterns – above all, in change in mountainous regions. Michael frameworks like the Seville Strategy. industrialised countries – which in the Succow illustrates how the biosphere long term are intolerable. reserve concept influences the establish- Scepticism or even fear is not an ap- ment of national parks in the successor propriate response to global change; Sustainable development is the alterna- countries of the Soviet Union. surprisingly obvious recipes sometimes tive draft to escalating global change. turn out to be best practice for meeting Sustainable development looks for solu- Natarajan Ishwaran sees biosphere reser- the challenges. Claudia Neu presents tions as to how this planet’s resources ves as being learning laboratories. What success factors, which prevent migration can be managed to ensure a decent life, is meant by this and what the German from villages in Mecklenburg-Western both globally and for centuries to come. biosphere reserves have got to offer is Pomerania. Rainer Mönke reports how There is no patent formula for sustainable portrayed by Lenelis Kruse-Graumann. biosphere reserves can create more jobs. development. It can take on a different Martin Kremer describes influences of form on each continent, even in each A further important aspect of biosphere regional marketing, through which the district, because conditions differ and reserves is to look at ‘cultural land- Rhön, despite its peripheral location, was because global change is so complex. scapes’. Although it is definite that built up and which helped a new regional Even more, adapting to global change will traditional cultural landscapes did not identity to emerge. Armin Kullmann require a temporally changing concept always evolve while protecting nature, explains how the biosphere reserves of sustainable development. At any rate, they often do offer habitats for a rich measure up with regard to regional mar- all around the earth places are required, diversity of species. They are being keting in comparison with other areas. which serve as experimental laborato- threatened by increasingly intensive ries for sustainable development. The agricultural use in the same way as by the The involvement of local communities biosphere reserves are such places. abandoning of unprofitable areas due to is a definite strength of biosphere re- climate change and demographic change. serves. Christine Kehl and Elke Baranek One example: in Europe small farms are UNESCO biosphere reserves preserve explain that this grants nature conserva- hardly profitable these days. Climate functioning cultural landscapes due to tion projects the necessary acceptance. change leads to rising temperatures and the groundbreaking concept of zoning. For Klaus Jarmatz and Johannes Treß this UNESCO today 2|2007

is decisive for well-functioning framework biosphere reserves. In this journal we it stresses the significance of biosphere concepts. Marcus Lämmle explains that give you a brief introduction to 34 exist- reserves in realising sustainable develop- local involvement is already significant ing and planned regions. Peter Heyne as ment. This journal should portray to you during the founding phase of a biosphere well as Guido Puhlmann and Susanne that UNESCO biosphere reserves – reserve. According to Susanne Stoll- Reinhardt report on new partnerships those you are already acquainted with Kleemann, it is considered to be central in the world network; Roland Stein and those that you may want to get to for the management of biosphere reser- describes the difficult additional tasks know better after reading this – really are ves throughout the whole world. of transboundary biosphere reserves. ‘Model Regions with a Global Reputation’. Eberhard Henne explains that the umbrella brand ‘National Natural Land- The German Commission for UNESCO scapes’ boosts awareness for biosphere held its General Assembly on the subject reserves throughout Germany. of UNESCO biosphere reserves in 2007. This Assembly passed a resolution on The UNESCO biosphere reserves create the UNESCO biosphere reserves in local success formulae, in order to enable Germany which is reprinted on the third sustainable development to become a cover page. In line with the German MAB Dr. Lutz Möller, reality. Local experience is incorporated National Committee which has made the Head of the Section for Science and distributed in the world network of English version of this journal possible, of the German Commission for UNESCO

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Arganeraie

Morocco

which spans 25,600 km² and supports fruits should never be beaten down from almost 2.5 Million inhabitants, who pre- the trees, only gathered from the ground. dominately earn their livelihood through The oil is produced by the Berber women agriculture and livestock farming. The meticulously by hand. It takes eight hours priority of this biosphere reserve is the to produce one litre of oil from thirty preservation of the Argan tree – which is kilogrammes of Argan fruits. currently under threat of extinction due to excessive human exploitation – and The biosphere reserve carries out replan the sustainable production of Argan oil. ting of the tree and supports marketing initiatives of oil produced in a traditional The Argan tree is endemic to this part of style. The ‘Union des Coopératives des Morocco. This thorny tree, which looses Femmes de l’arganeraie’, was founded its foliage in the dry period, is extremely in 1999 for that purpose and is the first well adapted to the high temperatures network of local cooperatives in Mo- and extreme drought. Its fruits are rough- rocco. It promotes sustainable use of ly as large as hazelnuts and their look re- the precious resources and aims at sembles that of yellow plums and olives. increasing revenue. German-Moroccan They are the source of the precious Argan technical cooperation has substantially oil known as the ‘liquid gold of Morocco’. supported projects for the sake of the It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and is Argan tree. The Argan tree is also a used by the Berbers to treat stomach and central issue in the research being bowel ailments, poor circulation or fertility carried out in the biosphere reserve. problems. In Europe it is now widely used Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: as high-quality cooking oil and as an ingre- Corvin Wimmer dient in the manufacture of cosmetics.

Other products obtained from the Argan Further information: tree are wood and animal food. At the http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/ The biosphere reserve Arganeraie, desig- edge of the Sahara the tree also functions directory/biores.asp?mode=all&Code= nated in 1998, is situated in the south- as a buffer against desertification. The MOR+01 west of Morocco, bordered by the Atlas Berber women have maintained sustain- Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. The able methods of oil production based on city of Agadir is also a part of this region century-old traditions. Importantly, the

Contents

UNESCO today

No. 2/2007

Editorial ...... 1 National Natural Landscapes...... 55 Lutz Möller Communication project boosts biosphere reserves Eberhard Henne Message of Greeting...... 4 Christian Wulff Information and Emotion...... 58 Creating a brand image for the ”A Sustainable Coexistence of Mankind and Nature”. . . 6 Spreewald Water Edge Project Sigmar Gabriel Christine Kehl / Elke Baranek Biosphere Reserves, a Response Nature Conservation Creating Employment...... 61 to Infrastructural Challenges ...... 8 ‘Job-Motor Biosphere’ in the Gertrud Sahler UNESCO biosphere reserve Schaalsee Biosphere Reserves – A Visionary Tool Rainer Mönke for Addressing Today’s Challenges...... 10 Changes Lead to New Perspectives...... 62 Julia Marton-Lefèvre The Swabian Alb prepares its application as a MAB – Man and the Biosphere...... 13 UNESCO biosphere reserve In retrospect Marcus Lämmle Biosphere Futures...... 16 Biosphere Reserve – National Park – Natarajan Ishwaran World Heritage Site...... 65 Dynamism and Change of Cultural Landscapes...... 18 The Wadden Sea has a lot to offer Hubert Farke / Peter Südbeck What can biosphere reserves accomplish? Werner Konold The World Network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves . . . 68 Education for Sustainable Development The List in German Biosphere Reserves ...... 22 Partnerships between River Biosphere Reserves . . . . . 75 Lenelis Kruse-Graumann Guido Puhlmann / Susanne Reinhardt The Challenge Climate Change ...... 27 Partnering with Camili Biosphere Reserve ...... 78 Carlo Jaeger Peter Heyne Detecting Signals of Global Change ...... 30 ”Our New National Parks Are Actually International scientific cooperation using Biosphere Reserves“...... 79 mountain biosphere reserves Interview with Michael Succow Thomas Schaaf Transboundary Biosphere Reserves ...... 84 Citizens’ Involvement – Roland Stein Success Factor for Rural Areas...... 33 Claudia Neu Publication Data...... 88 Success Factors for Biosphere Reserve Management. . . 37 Susanne Stoll-Kleemann Regional Marketing in German Biosphere Reserves 2007...... 40 Armin Kullmann UNESCO 2|2007 today J ouRNaL of The g e R M a N C oMMiSSioN foR u N e S C o Marketing Local Produce in the

Rhön Biosphere Reserve...... 44 Contents UNESCO The World Network Biosphere Reserves: of Biosphere Reserves Martin Kremer Contributions by Model Regions with Christian Wulff Sigmar Gabriel a Global Reputation Gertrud Sahler Julia Marton-Lefèvre Natarajan Ishwaran Werner Konold Lenelis Kruse-Graumann Criteria for Biosphere Reserves in Germany...... 46 Michael Succow The Framework Concept: a Chance for Integrative Nature Conservation...... 51 Title Illustration: Klaus Jarmatz The Challenge Climate Change UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Learning Laboratories for Sustainable Development Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea A New Framework Concept for Job-Motor Biosphere Reserves ”Vessertal-Thüringen Forest”...... 53 and Hallig Islands Johannes Treß © Archiv NPA Stock UNESCO today 2|2007

Message of Greeting

Prime Minister Christian Wulff

The German Commission for UNESCO widespread areas of the Lower Saxony has been using the occasion of its 67th Middle Elbe into the trans-federal-state General Meeting to particularly empha- and largest German biosphere reserve size the theme of ‘UNESCO biosphere ‘Elbe River Landscape’. It was also the reserves – model regions with a global first Federal State to have areas of a reputation’. I am delighted to be able UNESCO biosphere reserve on the to express my appreciation for this Middle Elbe designated by law on the work in the journal ‘UNESCO today’. basis of the Federal Nature Conserva- tion Act. The objective is to uniformly You have chosen this date prudently as preserve and develop the area with its it is 15 years ago that the Earth Summit landscapes, cultural and socio-economic in Rio de Janeiro defined sustainable values and functions, oriented towards development as being a globally autho- the coexistence of mankind and nature. ritative principle and made extensive recommendations for the realisation of Biosphere reserves offer new opportuni- the formulated goals. Sustainable deve- ties for regional and tourist development. lopment is an issue that the biosphere They create incentives for ecological reserves feel particularly committed to cultivation and marketing of regional and also bring to life. It is time to take products. They are also locations for stock of what has already been achieved, experiencing nature, for environmen- to take up the future challenges and to tal education and research. Biosphere more firmly establish and extend the reserves go far beyond nature conser- role-model function of the biosphere vation. New challenges for biosphere reserves as regions for an environmental- reserves are emerging with regard to ly friendly and sustainable development. the looming issue of climate change.

The programme ‘Man and the Bios- I would like to emphasize that the work phere’ (MAB), which was adopted by in the biosphere reserves is oriented UNESCO’s General Conference in 1970, towards involving the local population is a success story as far as its realisa- and winning them over as responsib- tion is concerned. In 1974 the concept le supporters for the development of of the biosphere reserves was develo- the biosphere reserves. Only if the ped within the framework of the MAB local and regional players can identify programme. In 1995 the ‘Seville Strategy’ with the idea of biosphere reserves as well as the ‘International Guidelines and sustainability as such, progress for the World Network of Biosphere can be made, which can, in turn, ser- Reserves’ provided a groundbreaking ve as an example for other regions. basis for the preservation and development of UNESCO biosphere reserves. The policy of the government of Lower Saxony is particularly committed to the Today there are 529 biosphere reserves principle of sustainability, developing worldwide in 105 countries. Thirteen of and monitoring a modern and compre- them are in Germany. The north German hensive sustainability strategy – relating coastal landscape is, as one of the last to all policy areas and all departments. large-scale nature landscapes in Central Thus we submitted a report on sustaina- Europe an integral part of the world bility in 2006 and created a special network through the three Waddensea unit dealing with sustainability at the biosphere reserves of Lower Saxony, Ministry of the Environment. We are in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg. the process of developing an ‘Alliance Lower Saxony has not only contributed for Sustainability in Lower Saxony’ together with the industrial sector.

Furthermore, sustainability regions I would like to wish the German Commis- have been defined. The draft of a fun- sion for UNESCO and the German MAB ding programme ‘Experience Nature National Committee continuous good and Develop Sustainably’ is, at present, luck in their work and sincerely hope that in the process of being approved. the journal about the UNESCO biosphere reserves is widely and well received. The Lower Saxon ‘Elbe River Valley Meadows’ biosphere reserve, desi- Hanover, September 2007 gnated by law – as part of the trans- federal-state UNESCO biosphere reserve ‘Elbe River Landscape’ – as Christian Wulff is Prime Minister of well as the biosphere reserve Wadden Lower Saxony and has been chairman of the Sea of Lower Saxony are included in Conference of German Prime Ministers in these considerations with priority. 2006/07.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea and Hallig Islands Photo © Archiv NPA Stock UNESCO today 2|2007

Sigmar Gabriel

“A Sustainable Coexistence of Mankind and Nature”

The adoption of Agenda 21 in Rio de The UNESCO research programme ‘Man Janeiro, 15 years ago prompted nec- and the Biosphere’ has, since the seven- essary changes in political reasoning ties, been dealing with the question of and action. The world community has how the relationship of people to their recognised that without this change of environment should be managed, so that direction towards sustainable develop- the biosphere is indeed preserved as a ment, life would not be worth living form of habitat. The Seville Strategy was for future generations. Agenda 21 was adopted as a result of the conference not the only programme adopted in in Rio; this has enabled the programme 1992; the two most significant envi- to develop substantially. Since then, ronmental conventions, the UN Frame- biosphere reserves have been looked work Convention on Climate Change at as being model regions for sustain- and the Convention on Biological able development. In other words, in the Diversity were also agreed upon. world network of biosphere reserves right down to the local level, transferable Thus, climate change and the loss of models for comparable problems and biodiversity were recognised, even then, strategies for coping with global environ- as being the most urgent global environ mental problems are being developed mental problems. Now the signs for and tested. In these representative on-going climate change are obvious; areas, findings on the function of spe- emissions of greenhouse gases have cific ecosystems, the results of human increased further, biodiversity has chalked interference and the success of certain up increasing losses and the red list of measures for protection and develop- species threatened by extinction grows ment can be obtained and exchanged. and grows. The demand is on politics UNESCO biosphere reserves are out- worldwide to, at long last, take the neces- door laboratories in the most positive sary measures in order to stop these sense with the objective of achieving problems getting any worse. The German a harmonious and sustainable coexist- national climate protection programme ence between mankind and nature. and our strategy on biodiversity are two examples of how we can make a Germany’s Federal States, in charge of contribution with innovative and inter- nature conservation in the German politi- departmental politics. At the end of the cal system, have successfully applied day however, sustainable development for designation of 13 biosphere reserves is dependent upon the contribution of by UNESCO. Thereby they also con- all relevant stakeholders – agriculture tribute to Germany’s engagement in and forestry, industry, trade and private finding solutions to these complex households. questions via these model regions. Thus they have paved the way by Increasingly extreme weather conditions which Germany can do justice to its have led to an increasingly large number responsibility for future generations. of people being personally affected. This leads to the realisation that changes The Federal Government gives them are necessary also in what we do as all the support it can. One aspect is individuals. Awareness of the fact that to support the cooperation of German effective climate protection is scarcely biosphere reserves with those of other possible without functioning eco-systems countries. Another is to convene the is slowly being established. Thus we German MAB National Committee; a need more intact forests and moors, third is to financially support research and not only for storing carbon dioxide, but development projects for further devel- also to regulate the water supply. oping the MAB programme in Germany.

Furthermore, a number of biosphere conservation for the coming years, both reserves profit from the Federal Pro- nationally and internationally. We want gramme for ‘the installation and securing to use this opportunity to make it clear of parts of nature and landscapes with to people that the wealth of nature is an national significance’ which has existed indispensable foundation for develop- since 1979 and has, over the years, ment. I am convinced that biosphere received more than 300 million Euros. reserves will also contribute to setting the course in this important endeavour. Germany will host the 9th conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biologi- cal Diversity in 2008. From my point of Sigmar Gabriel view, this conference is of outstanding Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature importance for the politics of nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Vessertal-Thüringen Forest

The ‘Vessertal–Thüringen Forest’ bio- by UNESCO in 1979, making it one of the typical of the Thuringian-Franconian low sphere reserve is situated in the middle oldest German biosphere reserves. Since mountain range cover almost 90 percent of the Thuringian Forest between Illme- then, the area has been extended twice of the area. Rare species such as the nau, Schleusingen and Suhl. It is crossed to the 171 km² it spans today. The Vesser fire salamander and the black grouse are by the famous hiking trail ‘Rennsteig’. The valley is now the largest core area in the at home in the forests and meadows. valley of the Vesser brook was designated region. The beech and spruce forests Tourism is traditional in the Vessertal and nowadays the main source of income in the region. ‘Visitor guidance’ is the name of a project, initiated in 1999, whose objective is to promote a sustainable tourist development. Tourism, forestry and nature conservation, together with local authorities, define common measures to bring the interests of nature conservation in line with those of the tourism branch, especially with regard to the target group, hiking tourists. They record and assess tourist activities with a ‘visitor monitoring’, using light barri- ers for counting and interviews. Public transport was improved and the route network revised. The administration of the biosphere reserve organised sympo- sia to present the results of the project at the national and international level.

Further information: http://www.biosphaerenreservat-vessertal.de

Photo © Biosphärenreservat Vessertal-Thüringer Wald / Matthias Hellner UNESCO today 2|2007

Gertrud Sahler Biosphere Reserves, a Response to Infrastructural Challenges

Germany has to face fundamental challenges in the same way as other industrialised countries. Demographical change leads to considerable problems in the preservation of necessary infrastructure in education, culture, transport, administration and medical care, particularly in rural areas with a low population density. Increased competition caused by globalisation also on a regional and local level, requires future-oriented local politics, which use existing strengths and innovation potential. The MAB National Committee considers biosphere reserves as model regions to be an effective device for contributing to this structural challenge.

In contrast to other instruments of region- disclosed very different competencies al development, such as ‘integrated rural and rights of participation. Therefore, the development concepts’ (ILEK) supported chances of an integrated approach cannot at the national level or the implementa- usually be used sufficiently. In addition tion of ‘LEADER processes’ in the Euro- the biosphere reserves are almost exclu- pean Union context, biosphere reserves sively supported by the Ministry for the are created for the long-term. They offer Environment of the federal state they are the opportunity for regional development part of. It would, however, make sense processes to become firmly established. to take advantage of appropriate support programmes from all departments at fed- After adoption of the Seville Strategy, the eral state level. These could serve to open original focus of the MAB programme further economic perspectives in the bio- has shifted from being an interdisciplinary sphere reserves and their surroundings research programme. Biosphere reserves as well as inspiring a sustainable regional are now model regions for sustainable development, which could hold its own. development. This makes high demands on the administrations; they must be German biosphere reserves, to date, Photo © BMU competent in all aspects of nature conser- represent marine areas, river and pond vation as well as in economic and social landscapes and areas of open landscapes issues, in education and science. They or with a high percentage of forest land, must also be able to communicate effec- in both peripheral areas as well as close tively in order to do justice to the de- to agglomeration areas. Up to now, the mands of the MAB programme and selection has only been based on criteria anchor the biosphere reserve in the of natural landscapes. This approach is region by a bottom-up process. however too limited, from the viewpoint of the MAB National Committee. With Momentum for a sustainable The management of biosphere reserves regard to the question of how repre- regional development must have the administrative compe- sentative a region is for the network of tence to realise the goal of their be- biosphere reserves, the interdisciplinary coming model regions for sustainable character of the MAB programme should development. These competencies be taken into consideration. A decision should include the control and alloca- on how representative a region is should tion of funds, the development and also be based on the different economic monitoring of innovative concepts, and and social conditions. The MAB National especially the solution of problems con- Committee kept this issue in mind when nected to demographic developments. revising the national criteria for designation and evaluation of biosphere reserves. Periodical assessment of the German New applications are in the pipeline biosphere reserves by the MAB Na- from two federal states, Saarland and tional Committee in previous years has Baden-Württemberg: The biosphere

reserve Bliesgau has already been designated according to federal state law, the biosphere reserve Schwäbische Alb is in the process of being founded, both, as partially urban regions, will make a welcome addition to the German network. This development results in new challenges for us. Biosphere reserves in urban regions must also fulfil the three functions: protection, development as well as research and education. Among other things, we will be dealing with core zones in urban areas and the form they will have to take in order to be able to do justice to the protection function.

The changes to the MAB programme as a result of the Seville Strategy of 1996 will continue in the years to come. However new-style biosphere reserves are not Photo © Karl-Friedrich Abe the only new issue to be integrated; Gertrud Sahler is head of the department regions designated before 1996, often for ‘environment, recreation, sport, leisure emanating from national parks must also and tourism, protected areas and regional become model regions for sustainable development’ at the Federal Ministry for the development. In this context, our experi- Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuc- ences with the Wadden Sea and Ber- lear Safety (BMU). chtesgaden biosphere reserves can be She has been Chairwoman of the German brought into the international discussion. MAB National Committee since 2004.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Vosges Du Nord / Pfälzerwald

In the Pfälzerwald (Palatinate Forest) the A special feature in comparison to German part of the first transboundary other German biosphere reserves is the biosphere reserve of the European Union winegrowing district Haardtrand, an area can be found. The German part was des- also known as the ‘German wine route’. ignated by UNESCO in 1992, the French Vineyards are also part of the network part in 1988. The connected regions have ‘economies in harmony with nature’, been designated since 1998, spanning whereby businesses from many sectors a total area of 3,018 km². The Palatinate have joined forces since 2004, in order Forest is part of the geo-morphologi- to ensure sustainable development in cal landform of the southwest German the biosphere reserve, together with the cuesta and its sandstone mountains. biosphere administration. Quality criteria Nearly three quarters of the transbound- and control systems were developed in ary mountain formation Vosges-Palatinate order to guarantee the quality of prod- are covered with woods. What is charac- ucts and a low environmental impact. teristic for the southern Pfälzerwald and significant for the tourist industry are the impressive sandstone cliffs, which like Further information: the many caves, represent the habitat for http://www.pfaelzerwald.de rare animal and plant species. Further- more, almost a hundred castles are to be found in this biosphere reserve. Photo © Roland Stein UNESCO 10 today 2|2007

Julia Marton-Lefèvre Biosphere Reserves – A Visionary Tool for Addressing Today’s Challenges

The concept of biosphere reserves had an important impact on our perceptions of the man-biosphere- relationship and on the necessity of reconciling conservation and use. The concept paved the way for contemporary approaches to protected areas and for implementing international conventions such as Agenda 21, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention.

A cornerstone of the concept of sus- Michel Batisse who can be considered to the Advisory Committee for Biosphere tainable development is the conviction be the “father” of biosphere reserves. Reserves which supports the work of the that nature and humans can co-exist International Co-ordinating Council of the in a harmonious way. This belief, how- MAB Programme. In preparation for the ever, was not widely spread when the The contribution of IUCN International Conference on Biosphere concept of biosphere reserves was first Reserves (Seville, Spain 1995), IUCN car- proposed in the mid 60s. In fact, at that From the outset, IUCN has been associa- ried out an evaluation of the coverage and time many conservationists hesitated ted with the development and application management effectiveness of biosphere to adopt the notion and they questioned of this concept. Many IUCN members reserves. A number of technical and its success. But the concept was well- have been engaged in promoting and es- policy recommendations from this evalu- supported by results from scientific tablishing biosphere reserves. A number ation were formally included in the Seville research in the late 60s and 70s which of IUCN field projects have been launched Strategy and the Statutory Framework had shown that supposedly virgin habitats such as the one resulting in the develop- of the World Biosphere Network. Thus, such as forests in the Congo and the ment and implementation of an inte- IUCN is in a privileged position to assess Amazon Basins were in fact the result grated management plan for the Saloum the importance and impacts of the of interaction between human beings Delta Biosphere Reserve in Senegal. biosphere reserves concept and its and their environment over millennia. IUCN also contributes to the work of application.

The Biosphere Conference organized by UNESCO in 1968 represented the first intergovernmental conference seeking to reconcile both, conservation and use of natural resources - a notion that was adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity more than 20 years later. The aim of the conference was to promote the need for humans and nature to interact in a positive way. The “Man and the Biosphere” (MAB) programme was officially launched in 1970 and formally en- dorsed by the UN Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972. One of the most ambitious projects within this programme was the establishment of a coordinated, global network of biosphere reserves. This project was well received and has been very successful so far. Nowadays, 529 biosphere reserves cover more than 5 million square kilometres in 105 countries (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, 2006). This success is the result of the commitment by governments and NGOs but it should also be seen as a tribute to the visionary thinking and hard work of Photo © Lutz Möller 11

New paradigm the Convention on Biological Diversity. In several NGOs in order to protect the for protected areas all these agreements the need to ensure remnants of tropical rainforest and its adequate planning and management of biodiversity. There is little doubt that the What did we learn? First of all, as noted biodiversity is of paramount importance. experience and the knowledge obtained above, the concept of biosphere reserves They all call for proper ecological zoning from the management of biosphere has influenced the overall understand- and a management system that responds reserves in relation to zoning and con- ing of the relationship between humans to the environmental and socio-eco- nectivity have greatly influenced both, and nature and has emphasized the nomic needs of each particular area. Both the concept and the application of the need to find a balance between na- concepts, zoning and management, have ecosystem approach promoted by the ture conservation and sustainable use. been tested in biosphere reserves all over Convention on Biological Diversity. Today, this is a widely accepted concept the world and have had a deep impact which has been included in a number of on the practical work in protected areas. Other important issues that were influ- international and regional agreements. enced by the theoretical as well as the It is also a key principle in what IUCN Moreover, the idea of having core zones practical approach to biosphere reserves called the “new paradigm for protected in which protection is enhanced through are those related to the need for inter-in- areas” which was discussed and en- the establishment of buffer zones, where stitutional coordination and a multi-disci- dorsed at the 5th IUCN World Parks environmentally-friendly economic plinary approach to planning and man- Congress (Durban, South Africa, 1993). activities are implemented, has led to agement. This is reflected by numerous a number of crucial principles. These projects such as those implemented in Biosphere reserves have played a seminal concern the development of biological the woodlands of Mata Atlântica in Brazil role in influencing the development of corridors and other forms of ecological (Lino/Dias, 2005), but there are also an tools that are essential in achieving the connectivity in, around and between increasing number of innovative initiatives key goals contained in Agenda 21 as well protected areas (Ponce, C; 1998). These that reach far beyond the national level: as in a number of international conven- principles have, inter alia, been guid- Several projects implemented in East tions such as the Ramsar Convention, the ing most of the activities implemented Europe address transboundary manage- UNESCO World Heritage Convention and by the government of Madagascar and ment of shared ecosystems (Guziová,

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka’an

Mexico

“The place where the sky was born“ – Tourism, immigration and development Further information: this is the meaning of Sian Ka’an in the put a lot of pressure on the biosphere http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/ language of the Maya. This biosphere reserve. The management and preserva- directory/biores.asp?mode=all&Code= reserve lies to the east of the Yucatan tion of natural resources are therefore MEX+05 peninsula in the Mexican state Quintana top priorities. Furthermore, agricultural Roo. The reserve covers an area of methods are being tested in order to con- 5,281 km². It was included into the serve the delicate character of the soil. Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Stevo world network in 1986 and in 1987 designated in addition as a World Herit- age Site. Mangroves, dunes, marshes, forests and huge coral reefs, parts of the second largest barrier reef in the world, form this coastal landscape.

With over 4,000 species of plants and 336 species of birds, the area boasts a substantial biodiversity. For many species of waders and two endangered species of ocean turtles, it serves as breeding territory. Sian Ka’an is not only of importance for its biodiversity but also for its history. Located a few kilometres to the south of the famous Maya-Tempel Tulum, 23 Maya sites have been discovered in the area. The Maya still represent the majority of the 2,000 residents of this biosphere reserve. UNESCO 12 today 2|2007

1998) while Spain and Morocco have successfully established an intercontinental coastal and marine biosphere reserve, an initiative that was supported by the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation.

Sources of hope

Furthermore, biosphere reserves have a great influence on socio-economic issues and therefore play an important role in relation to poverty reduction and the achievement of the Millennium Develop- ment Goals. In many cases, biosphere reserves are sources of hope for local communities and indigenous peoples that perceive them as a viable option for enhancing their livelihoods. This is probably the most important success story of the MAB programme. Many Photo © Gertrud Hein examples give proof of this, such as the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in Mexico that successfully managed to provide a number of alternative economic on marine ecosystems and on the mil- options for the local population, and the lions of people living in coastal areas. Literature: Fitzgerald River Biosphere Reserve in Therefore, biosphere reserves should Guziová, Z. (1998). Across the Frontiers: Southern Australia which has helped to Biosphere Reserves in Bioregional Manage- revitalize the local economy (West, 2001). become models for the implementation ment of Shared Ecosystems in Central Europe. of mitigation and adaptation strategies In IUCN; UNESCO and MAB Programme. Finally, the contribution of biosphere which address the threats of climate Biosphere Reserves: Myth or Reality, S. 11-17. reserves to the understanding of change. In a world that is increasingly IUCN (1995). An Evaluation of the Coverage‘ dynamics in ecosystems has also been affected by armed conflicts and intoler- and Management Effectiveness of Biosphere Reserves. Seville, Spain, S. 48f. important for global efforts concerning ance, biosphere reserves could help to the conservation of biodiversity. From promote intercultural exchange between Lino, F. / Dias, H. (2005). The Forest and Water nations and peoples, thus also becom- Programme in the Atlantic Forest Biome, Brazil. the outset, environmental and socio- MAB Programme Working Paper Nr. 34. Paris, economic research has been a key ing a tool for conflict-resolution and Frankreich, S. 76f. objective of the MAB programme. The peace-keeping efforts. These are difficult Ponce, C. (1998), Biosphere Reserves from a global network of biosphere reserves challenges but it is essential to address Conservationist’s Standpoint: theory and prac- has indeed contributed to assessing the them in order to build a better world. tice. In IUCN; UNESCO and MAB Programme. “health” of our planet and the impacts In my opinion, there is little doubt that Biosphere Reserves: Myth or Reality, S. 17-21. of human development, such as climate biosphere reserves have been, are and UNESCO, ANCB, EBB, CYTED and IUCN (2000). change. An excellent example of this is will continue to be a powerful tool for Experiencias de Monitoreo Socio-Ambiemen- achieving IUCN’s vision of “A just world tal en Reservas de la Biosfera y otras Áreas the research programme implemented in Protegidas en la Amazonia. UNESCO Regional the Amazon Basin which has substantially that values and conserves nature”. Office for LAC, Montevideo, Uruguay, S. 432f. contributed to understanding and guiding West, G. (2001). Biosphere Reserves for develop- conservation and development efforts in ing quality economies: the Fitzgerald Biosphere this critical area of biodiversity (UNESCO, Reserve, Australia. In PARKS Magazine, Vol. 11, ANCB, EBB, CYTED and IUCB, 2000). Nr. 1, Biosphere Reserves. Nature Bureau, UK, S. 10-18. Worboys, G.L. and Kothari, A. (2006), Managing New challenges Protected Areas: A global guide, EARTHSCAN, London. World Heritage Areas, Biosphere Re- serves and Ramsar Sites (UNEP-WCMC and Although there are impressive achieve- IUCN), S. 735-755. ments today, there are still huge challenges ahead of us. One priority will be Dr. Julia Marton-Lefèvre has been Director General of the World Conservation Union the conservation of marine biodiversity (IUCN) since January 2007. Before taking because up to now the protection of the this post, she headed the UN-Peace-Universi- oceans is fragmentary. It is necessary ty (UPEACE) in Costa Rica, was director of to counter the decline in fish stocks and LEAD International and Executive Director of the predicted impacts of climate change the International Council for Science ICSU. 13

MAB – Man and the Biosphere

In retrospect

UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) forum to delve into sustainable develop- Programme was established in 1970. ment – 24 years before the conference of The idea originated at the ‘Biosphere the United Nations on Environment and Conference’ in September 1968 in Paris, development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. the official title of which was ‘Scientific basis for Rational Use and Conservation of the Resources of the Biosphere’. It Impetus from Germany was organised by UNESCO in cooperation with the World Conservation Union The Federal Republic of Germany con- (IUCN) and the International Biological tributed significantly to this ‘Biosphere Programme (IBP). As the IUCN was more Conference’. Experts from the German or less founded at a UNESCO confer- Commission for UNESCO (DUK) tabled ence in 1948 and IBP was UNESCO’s a resolution at the General Conference research programme on natural resources in 1964 to strengthen nature conserva- (1964 – 1974), the ‘Biosphere Confer- tion at UNESCO, which was adopted ence’ really is an offspring of UNESCO. and refonfirmed in 1966 – the decision to hold the ‘Biosphere Conference’ was Still this was an innovative conference also made there. The DUK conference considering that during the first years on the harmonisation of protection and of UNESCO’s existence, its focus was use of nature took place in 1966 on the very much on supporting individual island of Mainau in Lake Constance and Conference of UNESCO in 1968 adopted research institutes such as projects another in April 1968 in Berchtesgaden. the resolution to a large extent. for the protection of the Amazon Ba- The long-standing member of DUK, Dr. sin or the Galápagos Islands whereas Magda Staudinger presented the final During the course of 1969, extensive con- during the fifties, individual climate address, the focus of which was on man sultations took place to finalise the frame- zones such as the humid tropics and as a part of the biosphere with a ‘biologi- work of the planned MAB programme. arid environments were the focus. cal’ conscience and a new partnership The term ‘man and the biosphere’ is due between man and nature. She continued to Edgar Barton Worthington, the director The ‘Biosphere Conference’ was inter- to promote these ideas throughout the of the IBP. The term was meant to governmental; however, the delegations next two years at various UNESCO meet- enhance the ‘human dimension’ of were mostly made up of experts. As ings, with success. At one conference ecological research. At the same time, many as 236 delegates from 63 countries of the European national commissions Worthington related the acronym took part as well as 88 representatives for UNESCO in June 1968 in Monaco, MAB to the midwife of the same name, from international organisations such as she was able to inspire the UNESCO who is referred to in the first act of the United Nations and its specialised Secretary General, Renè Maheu. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In 1969 agencies for food (FAO) and health the vague idea of a network of national (WHO). Discussions were primarily about parks, nature reserves and protected the increasing global significance of From the Biosphere areas was born, which would promote environmental problems which mankind Conference to the creation protection, research and education. The has to face. The term ‘biosphere’ became of the MAB programme term ‘biosphere reserve’ was, still very integrated into international vocabulary; tentatively, used for the first time. It was formerly the term, which was introduced One of the 20 resolutions of the included in the resolution for the pro- by Eduard Suess in 1883 and made ‘Biosphere Conference’ addressed clamation of the MAB-programme, as a popular by Vladimir L. Vernadski, was only UNESCO, calling upon it to initiate an description of operational research sites. familiar in specialist circles. The ground- ‘international research programme on breaking achievement of the conference man and the biosphere’. As an inter- On 23 October 1970 ‘Man and the was to declare for the first time on an disciplinary international programme, it Biosphere’ was on the agenda of the intergovernmental level that the issue of was to deal with social, economic and 16th General Conference of UNESCO. protection and use of natural resources, cultural aspects as well as environmen- The programme was not without con- the fact that they must go hand in hand tal issues and was to concentrate on troversy: some of the delegates were and that interdisciplinary approaches are the problems of developing countries. vehement that the issue should be left necessary. The ‘biosphere conference’ There was no mention of ‘biosphere to the International Council for Science was therefore the first intergovernmental reserves’ at that time. The 15th General (ICSU), which had just founded the UNESCO 14 today 2|2007

Scientific Board for Environmental Prob- and mountain ranges to coastal land- and nature together (development func- lems (SCOPE). A whole day was taken scapes and islands, the whole spectrum tion). The draft of a system of zoning was up with heated discussions, the Director of ecosystems was represented. The 14 adopted in 1974. IUCN was to be involved General spoke up for the programme project areas MAB-1 to MAB-14 remained in the selection process of representa- with insistence: “I want to have this in effect up to the nineties. In 1969 there tive sites with regard to protection. programme!” In the end a vote had had been 31 individual research areas to be taken (which is rather unusual at and the reduction led to MAB becoming UNESCO). Five minutes before midnight more coherent. Nevertheless the work From a great beginning the MAB Programme was born. suffered during the first few years due to to the first crisis the lack of project schedules and the fact that there was no real funding source to The interest in the new concept was Biosphere reserves support local work – thus the individual immediate and surprisingly widespread come into play MAB projects were rather isolated, their in some countries. The summary state- results could hardly be consolidated. ment of the Moscow summit in 1974 The goal of the MAB Programme was, specified that according to Breschnew right from the start, that of interdiscipli- At this stage, the concept of biosphere and Nixon, both sides agreed to identify nary research. Scientists from a variety of reserves was taken up. Regions were biosphere reserves for protection and disciplines were to work on specific rec- needed to implement research results in research as a contribution to the MAB ommendations for modern environmental practice. The political context was helpful: programme. A wave of suggestions for politics on an international level, based on In 1972 the UN Conference on the Hu- new regions followed, simply too many an ecosystem-approach. The recommen- man Environment took place (the content for the not yet defined processes of the dations for the protection of ecosystems of which was very much influenced by MAB programme. The Bureau of the and for the sustainable use of resources the ‘Biosphere Conference’), this led to MAB-ICC founded the World Network were to be implemented at the national the founding of UNEP at the end of 1972. in 1976 to improve the effectiveness level. Each country was invited to set up In 1974 a special work group of the MAB of individual biosphere reserves by a National Committee, in order to guaran- programme got together with UNEP and exchanging experiences and coopera- tee as intense a collaboration as possible. substantiated the goals and features of tion. Furthermore it recognised the first the biosphere reserves. The three ‘func- 57 biosphere reserves in mid 1976 and MAB was and still is an inter-governmen- tions’ were roughly drafted: Protection of at the beginning of 1977 a further 61 tal programme. States form the mem- natural resources and ecosystems as well sites were identified. The most impor- bership of its most important body, the as the preservation of biological diversity tant selection criteria were the protec- International Coordinating Council (ICC). (protective function); development of tive function and the existence of basic In 1971 the ICC assembled for the first an international network for research, research facilities. In 1978 the MAB-pro- time, the most significant outcome of monitoring, education and information gramme was divided into four individual that meeting being the establishment of exchange (logistical function); develop- programmes for a period of two years. 14 thematic ‘project areas’, which were ment and implementation of concepts In 1980 this was reversed. By 1981, to reflect the diversity of the programme. in order to bring economic development 208 areas in 58 countries were already From tropical rainforests to arid deserts and the protection of the environment designated as UNESCO biosphere reserves. However central emphasis was placed on protection; the development function was ignored. Nearly all sites had previously been national parks or had been otherwise protected; the new designation did not make any dif- ference to these functions. Research was mostly academic, results were not exchanged, and the ‘network’ consisted of the MAB secretariat at UNESCO.

A MAB National Committee was founded in 1972 in the Federal Republic of Germany, which published a comprehensive series of research reports in the seventies and eighties. In 1972, the year after the GDR joined UNESCO, a MAB National Committee was also established there. It made recommendations for

Photo © Karl-Friedrich Abe 15

the first German biosphere reserves; Model regions for in 1979 the Vessertal and the Steckby- sustainable development Lödderitzer Forest (today a section of the Elbe River Landscape) were designated Above all the UNCED and the Report followed by the Bavarian Forest in 1981 of the Brundtland Commission, dated (which again was withdrawn from the 1987, made the inherent strength of the list in 2007). They remained the only biosphere reserves apparent: realising biosphere reserves in Germany until sustainable development and implement- 1990. ing Agenda 21. The breakthrough came about at the International Conference on Biosphere Reserves held between 20 and The subsequent progress 25 March 1995, in Seville. 387 specialists from 102 countries as well as 15 interna- Despite all the esteem given to the MAB tional and regional organisations took part programme worldwide, all those involved in the conference. Based on the know- were aware of the imbalance of the three ledge gained from the implementation functions in the first biosphere reserves of the Action Plan adopted in 1984, the at the beginning of the eighties. The 14 role of the biosphere reserve in the 21st years up to 1995 were a consolidation century was defined. The subdivision into phase in which the different functions of three zones and the requirement of fulfill- a biosphere reserve became more and ing three fundamental functions were the more concise and were filled with detail. prerequisite for deignating new biosphere The advantage of an approach other than reserves. Furthermore a system of evalu- that of national parks and other conven- ation was introduced; biosphere reserves tional protected areas became more and were to be assessed every ten years to more clear. The network’s growth slowed see if they had fulfilled the criteria. In down; at the end of 1990 there were November 1995 the General Conference 293 regions. The following events of of UNESCO adopted these documents. that period are particularly significant: Many countries evaluated their biosphere • The first World Congress of biosphere reserves as a result and increased the reserves took place in October 1983 in quality of the world network significantly Minsk; it was organised by UNESCO by doing so. Many areas were extended; and UNEP together with FAO and others were removed from the list. The IUCN. The Action Plan for biosphere conference ‘Seville + 5’ 2000 in Pam- reserves was a result of this meet- plona confirmed this distinctive progress. ing and was confirmed by MAB-ICC After a series of biosphere reserves had in 1984. It emphasised the multiple been founded anew in the nineties in functions of the biosphere reserve. Germany – and after four years during which the MAB National Committee • The Action Plan proposed an Inter- was suspended, the evaluation was national Advisory Board, which met pressed ahead with as from 2000. A on an informal basis twice, in 1985 Catalogue of Criteria for the Designation This summary by Dr. Lutz Möller and and in 1986 and set the selection and Evaluation of biosphere reserves in Eva Kammann (German Commission for criteria for new areas. Officially, the Germany was adopted in 1996, which UNESCO) is based on the following publica- board convened in 1991 for the first was, in fact, the implementation of tions: time – its main objective to define the ‘international guidelines’ in this a clear-cut application procedure. country. This Catalogue of Criteria was Hadley, M. (2005): A Practical Ecology. The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program- completely revised between 2004 and me. In: Sixty Years of Science at UNESCO. • Two evaluations (1981 and 1991) 2007, as a result of the findings of more UNESCO (Ed.). established clearer processes. than 10 comprehensive evaluations. Staudinger, M. (1987): Considerations on the • The UNCED conference in 1992 started After Minsk and Seville, the third origin and development of the MAB-Program- a lot of activity within the MAB-pro- World Congress of Biosphere Re- me. Address at the 21st session of the German gramme: for example stronger coopera- serves will take place in Madrid in MAB National Committee (unpublished). tion with the committees of the Con- 2008 – the next step in the continuing Biosphere reserves as concept and tool ventions for World Heritage, Wetlands success story of the UNESCO MAB (2002). In: Biosphere Reserves. Special as well as with the new Conventions programme is about to take place. places for people and nature. UNESCO (Ed.). on Desertification and Biodiversity. UNESCO 16 today 2|2007

Natarajan Ishwaran Biosphere Futures

“Sustainable development requires diverse and life-long learning” this is emphasized on page 39 of the 2005 publication “Full of Life: UNESCO Biosphere Reserves – Model Regions for Sustainable Develop- ment”, which has been a German contribution to the “Man and the Biosphere” Programme of UNESCO. In answering the question why they chose the word “learning” instead of “education”, the authors of the essay, Gertrud Hein and Lenelis Kruse-Graumann, emphasize that “learning” much more so than “education” refers to the process of actively changing patterns of behaviour, values, attitudes, motivations and future orientation of people – people being a dominant factor in influencing biosphere futures.

Since the eighteenth session of the Inter- aim to enable biosphere reserves to be- national Coordinating Council (ICC) of the come places where conservation and de- MAB Programme held in October 2004, velopment are reconciled and pathways the MAB Secretariat of UNESCO, in line towards sustainability are demonstrated. with this spirit, has been emphasizing Global change has a deep impact on peo- the potential role of UNESCO biosphere ple, societies and nations. Sustainable de- reserves as learning laboratories for su- velopment accommodates environmen- stainable development. At the nineteenth tal, economic and social dimensions of session of the MAB/ICC convened in global change. It is important to note that October 2006 in Paris, this notion of the implementation of the global principle learning laboratories received further of sustainable development depends on support from all delegates and observers. the specific context and therefore must The twentieth session in Madrid, Spain be formulated differently according to from 4 to 8 February 2008, together specific temporal or local needs. The sci- with the third International Conference ence of sustainability therefore depends on Biosphere Reserves is themed on the availability of observations and “Biosphere Futures, UNESCO Biosphere reports of such context-specific sustaina- Reserves for Sustainable Development”. bility scenarios. Biosphere reserves are In preparation of this session the MAB/ predestined for that particular task. ICC requested the Secretariat to prepare a working document on the following: Photo © Natarajan Ishwaran What are the policy and political initiati- UN Decade of Education ves needed to articulate and confirm the for Sustainable Development niche of biosphere reserves as learning laboratories for sustainable development? Analysing efforts to demonstrate sustainable development in biosphere In its wish to articulate the biosphere reserves comparatively, based on inter- reserves as local, national and global nationally agreed upon methodologies laboratories for sustainable development, could be a significant contribution of both the MAB/ICC and the Secretariat the MAB Programme and the biosphere

Photo © Gertrud Hein 17

reserves to the UN Decade of Education strong supporters of both, the DESD such global targets as mentioned for Sustainable Development (DESD). and the MAB Programme. German above. biosphere reserves may take a lead in In UNESCO’s internal plan for the im- experimenting with the learning labora- Biosphere reserves are the only in- plementation of the DESD, the Division tories idea. The German MAB National ternationally designated areas whose of Ecological and Earth Sciences, which Committee is invited to work even closer explicit mission it is to build context- is home to the MAB Secretariat, has with the Secretariat at UNESCO, Paris, specific and long-standing relationships been identified as the theme leader for to connect German biosphere reserves between conservation, development, Decade activities related to ecosystems with those in other selected countries to learning and practical knowledge. and livelihoods. Biosphere reserves build international co-operation around They are therefore the primary sites are apt places for the implementation the learning laboratories theme. for UNESCO-wide action, experimen- of Decade activities anchored on this tation and learning on sustainability. theme and designed and implemented The DESD period 2005-2014 coincides by all Sectors of UNESCO. The MAB with the international community’s Hopefully this publication will attract a Secretariat collaborates closely with the commitment to meet several global wide range of readership including the DESD Secretariat of UNESCO; together targets such as reaching the Millennium Delegates and Representatives who they prepared to present the principle of Development Goals by 2015 and the will participate in the 34th session of biosphere reserves as learning laborato- Convention on Biological Diversity target the General Conference of UNESCO ries for sustainable development to the of minimizing the loss of biodiversity by during October-November 2007. I hope UNESCO Executive Board and General 2010. Through UNESCO-wide intersec that they may wish to consider the Conference in the fall of 2007. In addi- toral and interdisciplinary initiatives important role biosphere reserves could tion, MAB prepares joint intersectoral during the next medium-term strategy play in the activities of UN DESD. action with other relevant UNESCO of UNESCO (2008-2013), biosphere Programmes, such as MOST (Manage- reserves as learning laboratories could Dr. Natarajan Ishwaran, Sri Lanka, is direc- ment of Social Transformations) focussing provide significant experimental motor of the Division of Ecological and Earth on the learning laboratories theme. mentum for getting closer to sustainable Sciences of UNESCO. Since 1986 he has been development. The results and outcomes working for UNESCO, until 2004 he was The German Government and the German of such joint initiatives could strengthen in charge of Natural Heritage at the World National Commission for UNESCO are the contributions of UNESCO to attain Heritage Centre.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Wadi Allaqi

Egypt

The biosphere reserve Wadi Allaqi is situ- The population consists, in the main, of of arid regions and resource use, in ated 180 km south of Assuan in the midst nomads. They use the natural resources areas such as hydrology, biodiversity, of the Nubian Desert, which is an ex- of the biosphere reserve for livestock sustainable agriculture and soil science. treme desert with approx. 4 mm of rain- transhumance, charcoal production, fall per year. The area spans 2,380 km²; it the collection of medicinal plants and Recently, tourism has gained ground in was included into the world network of small-scale cultivation. Resource con- this still very underdeveloped desert. biosphere reserves by UNESCO in 1993. servation has been a concept inherent Ecotourism is being promoted in the area Right at the frequently flooded Wadi the to the Bedouin’s livelihood and value in the form of desert safaris, excursions vegetation consists of shrub groves of systems. Their views, aspirations and with a scientific or an educational focus tamarix, acacias and tumble weeds, of accumulated knowledge are taken into as well as workshops and seminars. groves of tooth brush trees and desert account in the decision-making pro- dates as well as of agro ecosystems. cesses within the biosphere reserve. Further information: http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/ The large-scale, multidisciplinary re- directory/biores.asp?mode=all&code= search at the South Valley University in EGY+02 Assuan which maintains partnerships with numerous foreign universities is worth mentioning. Its support comes from UNEP, UNESCO and the British Council. An exchange programme was established for young Egyptian scientists with Great Britain and the USA in line with the Seville Strategy. In return Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: many students from European univer- Iain Pitcairn sities carry out research on the ecology Photo © UNESCO / Alexis N . Vorontzoff UNESCO 18 today 2|2007

Werner Konold Dynamism and Change of Cultural Landscapes

What can biosphere reserves accomplish?

When developing perspectives for cultural landscapes/cultural spaces a general framework of values is needed. In that context, the question of which visionary model of the landscape is appropriate, comes up. Such a framework of values and such a vision can relate directly to the Seville Strategy of the MAB programme. Biosphere reserves are ideally suited for combining types of traditional and modern cultural landscapes as well as for further developing them in a modern approach.

Cultural landscapes: thermore there were clear use-gradients The essence involved from the settlement down to the district boundary. There was no conserva- Cultural landscapes are human-modified tion, only movement, dynamics, progres- environments; human modification or use sive and regressive succession (i.e. se- transforms the natural landscape into a quences of plants and animal societies at cultural landscape. Man formed nature one location), a pulsation between forest according to his needs, what his liveli- and non-forest. This dynamism had, as a hood depended on and what his creativity whole, the effect of preserving habitats. and technical means made possible at any one time. He had to adapt or even All cultural landscapes, also those, which bow to the natural scheme of things: to to us appear to be old-fashioned, were the rocks, the ground, availability of water and still are subjected to dynamism, they and natural nutrients, flow of waters and demonstrate movement on a time axis. the altitude. Cultural landscapes have or There were and are delayed and almost had – apart from the specific use of the stagnating, as well as accelerated area – a specific cultural geomorphology. phases. These processes run differen- These are for example, walls, tree rows, tially, in a special sense: here – batches waling, scarps, fences, tree-lined roads, of change, there – stagnation, perhaps individual trees, pits and marshes. At under the pressure of economic distress Photo © Werner Konold the same time they possess many non- and migration. The relationships and functional or useless coincidences, by- dependencies between the political and products or refuse-products resulting socio-economical framework conditions from human economic activity, like shrub- and the picture and state of the land- beries, small fallows, gorges and much scape have not really changed over the more. The remains of ‘natural’ nature can years. The dynamism, which is inher- be found at best where cultivation was ent to these relations, is something we not worthwhile, where it is too wet, too have to face up to and also shape. steep, too dry or too stony. This assessment was, of course, always relative. The Change in the cultural landscapes has general economic conditions for estab- speeded up considerably in the last lishing many elements of the cultural decades, accompanied by a dramatic geomorphology, for example boulder increase in developed and especially cov- walls, today are no longer given. These ered areas and the well-known negative forms are, as such, relics of economic effects on habitats, flora and fauna and history; nevertheless they can shape on the geomorphology. Individual facial the face of a landscape, even today. features of the cultural landscapes, their value and character were often obliter- The traditional cultural landscape was ated or removed. Landscapes have been mostly used polyculturally, i.e. there were designed in many so-called ‘favoured numerous ways of use in one area. Fur- areas’ in such a similar way that they ap- 19

pear exchangeable to a large extent. • The development of landscape is to Trans-regionally there is a remarkable follow the concept of sustainability levelling of standards in the areas of in a consistent manner. building construction, landscape garden- • The respective identity of the landscape ing, types of settlements, route plan- must remain intact or be replaced ning and the arrangement of roads and by another unmistakeable identity. paths, equipping the landscape with • Diversity, typical for a specific natural noise-insulation measures, dumpsites or and cultural space should be aimed leafy slopes along motorways. Energy for in space and time, which includes landlines are ever-present, the landscape an optimal, regional biodiversity. is being torn up to a frightening extent, • Cultural landscapes should not be forestation engulfs hillsides and valleys, dependent on maintenance measures use-gradients only exist locally. We are in and landcare. a dilemma: on the one side, such change • Important landscape functions should is a characteristic of the cultural land- be re-established, for example flood scape; on the other hand we do not know and mass containment in floodplains. how all-encompassing change can be so • Burdening mass transfer is to be that people can cope with it mentally or kept to a minimum. at least accept it and so that a sustain- • The ‘use’ of areas and the dissection able landscape development is not of the landscape are to be minimised. prevented. • Allowing natural processes to unfold without interference should be en- A complimentary aspect: The preserva- couraged on limited areas, without tion of ecological, aesthetic and social setting targets of trajectories. qualities of our cultural landscapes cannot • Acutely endangered, recently over- mean that landscape is ‘freezed’ and hauled cultural landscape should that landscapes turn into museums. be protected and maintained. Thus Landscape must definitely be able to they can be secured for some time, develop further. On the one hand, typical until they become useful again. attributes and identification marks have to • All goals should be realised with as be preserved, and on the other hand new little interference as possible and also ones should be defined and consciously with a minimum of energy expenditure. Traditional vineyards are the most created. Also the process element of impressive cultural landscapes in landscape and the characteristics and If we compare these goals with the state Central Europe. They often stem from ageing of landscape elements must be of our landscapes today then it is obvi- the middle ages and were formed by considered in the way we act nowadays. ous that stronger efforts are required; significant interference with the lands- new proportions of use and protection cape. They were mostly re-allocated or The resulting fundamental question is are needed. A more specific version of completely closed down. The remai- as to what a modern cultural landscape these goals can only be agreed upon ning vineyards must be preserved should look like, a landscape with its own on the basis of actually existing land- and maintained in the long-term, for profile, which shows continuity, whose scapes, at the regional or communal example in buffer zones of biosphere parts are also established in functioning level. To work out such more specific reserves. relationships. What is, in the broadest goals publicly conducted discussions Photo © Werner Konold sense, a functioning modern cultural on landscape planning and regional landscape, which is, at the same time, development have to take place. home?

Instruments and ways Framework of values Considering the above mentioned prin- When it comes to developing perspec- ciples, biosphere reserves are abso- tives for cultural landscapes / cultural lutely ideal for combining traditional and spaces, we must focus on a general modern cultural forms of landscapes framework of values. Connected to that and for developing these appropriately, is the question, which visionary model in other words, controlling the inherent of a landscape, in which we plan, decide dynamism of the cultural landscape. and shape, is fitting? A framework of The concept of zoning of biosphere values and a vision could almost seam- reserves could lead to the interpreta- lessly latch onto the Seville Strategy of tion that trusted, traditional cultural the MAB programme and also to the landscapes be placed primarily in the conventions of the World Summit of buffer zone and newer, modern cultural Rio: landscapes in the transition area. One UNESCO 20 today 2|2007

should however, consciously decide In concrete terms, what can be achieved the field of maintenance and devel- against such a straight interpretation of in biosphere reserves? opment of cultural landscapes and zones. One should get away from formal, home-landscapes. This includes clubs established segregation of old / traditional • What is urgently needed is an open and for preserving local traditions, hiking and new / modern and follow integrative public discussion on the future of our clubs and associations connected with concepts, which use the character cultural landscape. All stakeholders, nature conservation and preservation and distinctiveness of the region. such as communal umbrella organisa- of historic monuments. For their work, tions and clubs for preserving local which partly covers state obligations, New landscapes can be for example: traditions should be involved by the they will need political acknowledge- extensively used half-open landscapes, biosphere reserve administration. ment in future as well as financial which consist of a mosaic of grasslands, Some important points of discussion support. They are obvious partners shrubberies, pioneer forests and smaller are briefly outlined here: Amount of re- of biosphere reserve management. forest resources created by different wild tention and amount of change; shaping and domestic animals such as sheep, change; actors to be involved in change • In order to bring the meaning of goats, cows, horses, koniks, red deer, and the speed with which they are cultural landscape home to people elks or bison; agroforestic systems, like realised. How much change can we and to organise nature and landscape trees planted at a distance for wood pro- cope with? What is it that makes a maintenance in a citizen-oriented and duction and for parallel use of pastures place home? What are regional and democratic manner, concentrated edu- and meadows; forestry for energy pro- local solutions? cational efforts about cultural landscape duction; flood control areas used for the and home country are of utmost impor- production of biomass as well as others. • Local clubs and associations are highly tance. These educational efforts need important and indispensable players in to be carried out by the communal um-

In the Southern Black Forest we find regular terrace structures interspersed amongst the distended, undivided common acreage. These ‘land strips’ go back to the 19th century. The landscape is increasingly threatened by the tread of grazing animals. Photo © Werner Konold 21

brella organisations, by schools, higher • Knowledge on the genesis of cultural education institutes, adult education landscapes/home-landscapes enables institutes, the media as well as inter- the local community to become actively disciplinary groups – bringing together involved in planning processes, supple- the fields of agriculture, nature conser- menting civil commitment with sound vation, preservation of historic monu- arguments. The best suited ‘peculiar’ Prof. Dr. Werner Konold holds the Chair for Landscape Maintenance at the Faculty for ments, water management, forestry local solutions can thus be found. Such Forest and Environmental Sciences at the and also hiking and tourist associations. peculiar, special solutions will in turn University of Freiburg. He is chairman of the The biosphere reserve administrations contribute to the diversity and beauty German Committee for Landscape Mainte- can be the driving force and the me- of culture landscapes at the large nance and has been a member of the MAB diator of educational efforts. They can scale. National Committee since 2005. organise cultural landscape schools.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea and Hallig Islands

Next to the summit areas of the Alps, Apart from the birds, humans also like the Wadden Sea on the North Sea coast to use the North Sea coast in Schleswig- is the last large-scale wilderness area Holstein. Every year 500,000 holiday- in Europe. The biosphere reserve in makers take part in mudflat hiking or Schleswig-Holstein spans 4,431 km² other nature study activities. Despite and is for the most part a national park the tourism, nature and culture remain – the largest in Europe. The salt marshes unspoiled. The Hallig islands Langeneß, along the Wadden Sea coasts represent Oland, Gröde, Nordstrandischmoor and a special feature of this natural habi- Hooge, the home of around 300 people, tat. Resident there are 250 species of joined the biosphere reserve, previously animals and there are globally unique designated in 1990, in 2005 at their own ecosystems. The Wadden Sea boasts request. This area now comprises the more birds than any other region in transition area. Farming, coast guarding Europe. Just the Schleswig-Holstein part and tourism are their livelihood. Their is targeted by more than two million economies are sustainable and today waders and water birds in spring and late use a coherent marketing in order to summer, who breed on the arctic coasts. raise the quality of the goods on offer Photo © Archiv NPA Stock

and to encourage new guests to visit the Hallig islands and experience life there.

In order to raise acceptance for the nature conservation measures the ‘Brent Goose days’ are celebrated each year. In 2007 this event took place for the tenth time and as a result of the varied activities on the programme and the excursions not only birders were attracted to the Hallig islands.

Further information: http://www.wattenmeer-nationalpark.de and http://www.halligen.de

Photo © Archiv NPA Stock UNESCO 22 today 2|2007

Lenelis Kruse-Graumann Education for Sustainable Development in German Biosphere Reserves

Education for sustainable development is a central task for the German biosphere reserves. Their function is not only to explain the goals of sustainable development to the people living in biosphere reserves but to guide them towards changing their way of life, for example their consumer habits. Illustrated by exemplary projects, the following article portrays how the holistic approach ‘learning sustainability’ can be implemented through new learning forms, playing role games at school, in the ‘inter-generation café’ or while ‘sustainably shopping’ at such unusual learning sites as a market place.

UNESCO’s decision to establish the pro- Education for sustainable gramme ‘Man and the Biosphere’ (1970) development: and to develop biosphere reserves (1976) An ambitious programme was, at the time, both ground-breaking and clear-sighted; the reciprocal interac- The Seville Strategy (1995) led to extend- tion of man and nature, or rather man and ing the MAB programme’s objectives: the environment were the central focus. UNESCO biosphere reserves were to The necessity of carefully balancing become model regions for sustainable the protection of nature and the use of development. Nature and resource natural resources by people was an issue, conservation as well as the preservation long before it became known worldwide of ecosystems should now be seen in as the vision of sustainable development context and weighed up against human after the Rio conference in 1992. economic interests, against establishing equal opportunity and/or equitable dis- A central objective of the MAB pro- tribution and against preserving cultural gramme from its outset and thus a task identity for present and future genera- for all the biosphere reserves was to tions. Education for sustainability thus promote ‘environmental education’. Each becomes an ambitious programme, German biosphere reserve was and is where ecological, economic and socio- obliged to work out criteria and content cultural aspects should be discussed, Photo © Lenelis Kruse-Graumann for educational projects and to imple- negotiated and, finally, implemented. ment them; this obligation derives from the ‘framework concepts’ and takes This means that many educational and into account the particular structures of learning processes must be initiated in the respective region (German National every biosphere reserve for the people Committee 1996). Thus nature stud- who live and work there, for children Equal opportunity and / or ies, excursions and seminars, nature and young people who grow up in the equitable distribution experience programmes, project days, biosphere reserve – and who want to nature trails and information centres earn their living there in the long run – for with exhibitions offering comprehensive visitors and tourists who have maybe information are available for the popula- only seen the ‘beautiful nature’ in the tion as well as for visitors. All sorts of past but have not really thought about interested parties can obtain com- how it came about and what role it may prehensive information on the natural play above and beyond the local level for resources of the area and on the objec- the global situation of the earth system. tives and tasks of biosphere reserves. The successful advancement of a biosphere reserve depends on the extent to which the population identifies with the guiding principles of sustainable development and can be motivated to participate in shaping the biosphere 23

reserve. Each individual has to become aware that he or she takes responsibility for the present and future generations and for the environment with every action but also every non-action.

Not only in biosphere reserves - but perhaps more frequently there because of the enhanced awareness - people decide over and over again for or against regional and sustainably produced products at the market, at the grocery store or in restaurants. But the decision to buy and consume something specific, the choice of a mode of transport (be it bus or rail, own car or bike) or the decision to build a low-energy house hardly depend on information alone (e.g. from brochures, Photo © Gertrud Hein presentations, press articles). Decisions of this kind are usually influenced by many other factors, like motives, at- The UN-Decade of Education for Sustain- obliged to point out specific possibilities titudes, knowledge levels and financial able Development (2005-2014) leads to and trajectories, which lead to a sus- and social frameworks. We know that grasping and appreciating the subject tainability-oriented awareness and are the results of such decision-making of education as an important (political) suitable for motivating people towards a processes are seldom environmentally instrument. Thus education is propelled sustainable way of life, using the ex- friendly, rather aimed at maximising to a similar significance as the develop- ample of concrete projects. To broaden profits in the short term, at the same ment of energy-efficient technologies the traditional environmental educa- time not socially viable or in other words or CO2 reduction certificates, needed in tion towards an ‘education for sustain- not sustainable. Sustainable develop- order to achieve and to shape the global ability’, new concepts and projects are ment calls for the change of a cluster goal of sustainable development. As needed whereby beyond the ecological of cultural and life style-specific action model regions for sustainable develop- dimension, economic and socio-cultural patterns and decision-making processes. ment, biosphere reserves are almost requirements are also taken into account.

Furthermore, education for sustainability must be given a completely new significance within the functions of biosphere Discover the future! UNESCO biosphere reserves; education and life-long learning reserves in Germany are not only a means to an end for shaping sustainable development (‘logistical’ function). They are fundamental com- The Federal Ministry for the Environ- ponents of sustainable development, ment has published an educational a process in which the global guiding project on sustainable development, principle of ‘sustainability’ is constantly dedicated to the biosphere reserves. newly defined and implemented by new Entitled “Entdeckt die Zukunft!” (Dis- local and regional (derived) objectives. cover the future! UNESCO biosphere An educational and learning process of reserves in Germany), it presents this kind must be supported continu- diverse topics specifically addressed ously and in a participatory manner by to youth such as renewable energies, the stakeholders in a biosphere re- student companies, or sustainable for- serve in their different roles and func- estry. The project’s result is a folder with tions, but also across generations. more than 20 master copy documents for the class-room, a multi-use poster and instructions for teachers. The folder Learning for sustainability: has been distributed free of charge to several thousand German schools and Basic principles may be downloaded (in German) from: www.bmu.de/publikationen/ With the target of developing an ‘al- bildungsservice/ liance for learning sustainability’, the unesco_biosphaerenreservate/ UN-Decade of Education for Sustainable doc/39838.php Development will form the basis for getting away from the frequently narrow- UNESCO 24 today 2|2007

minded limitation of ‘education’ to the new learning sites and fields of action context of formal educational institutions, are required: Not only schools, nursery particularly of ‘school’. The focus will shift schools or other dedicated educational towards long-term changes in patterns establishments are suitable as learning of everyday behaviour (e.g. in consump- sites, but also many other spheres of life tion, production, mobility, building and such as the home, the workplace, and living) and towards the underlying values, the sports club. In biosphere reserves, motives, future orientation, competences information centres are not the only but also the social and physical-material learning sites, but also the market contexts in which changes take place. place or the local crafts enterprise. Sustainable, but also non-sustainable behaviour patterns are not innate; they A visit to a local council meeting, to the Education becomes are learned and acquired from a very inter-generation café or simply preparing a political instrument young age and are constantly reinforced meals can all, directly or indirectly, culturally and socially. Up-bringing, edu- contribute to learning processes and to cation and learning are very important gaining skills useful for shaping sus- here, with as much attention having to tainable development. For these more be paid to relearning as to new learning. general types of learning situations, new forms of learning, new learning The term ‘learning for sustainability’ also media and also new partners must makes it clear that new forms of learning, be sought for ‘teaching’ purposes.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Upper Lausitz Heath and Pond Landscape

This biosphere reserve, northeast of nationally recognised minority. These Dresden, represents the largest connect- settlers have kept up their traditions and ed pond region in Germany. The rather their Slavic language to this day. Carp small area is characterised by a vast have been kept in the ponds since the diversity of ecosystems such as ponds, 13th century and, inter alia, bred for the moors, heathland, pinewoods and flood Saxon court. One of the aims of the plains. Animals and plants to be found biosphere reserve is to conserve this here are otters, wolves, the white headed cultural landscape and the biodiversity eagle, cranes, wild gladioli and water created over the centuries by sustainable lilies. This region, spanning 301 km², use, so that it remains intact for future was designated by UNESCO in 1996. generations. That is why the administration works closely with individual fishers Photo © Ralf M . Schreyer This region has been inhabited by the and farmers. In parallel, it supports the Sorbs since the 6th century, today a Sorb culture; an example of this is the extensive Sorb cultural programme regularly launched on the occasion of the spring and autumn nature markets.

Environmental education plays a major role in the work of the biosphere reserve, not only, but primarily for children and teenagers. A wide range of activities are on offer such as excursions, seminars or holiday camps arranged with different target groups in mind. ‘Village children’ is, for example, aimed at teenagers living in the immediate neighbourhood of the biosphere reserve.

Further information: http://www.biosphaerenreservat-oberlausitz.de

Photo © Ralf M . Schreyer 25

Learning for sustainability presupposes sion-making processes, which often lead that staff involved in biosphere reserves to conflicts when, for example, a forest see their task as also contributing to mak- is about to be sacrificed for an ‘amuse- ing their biosphere reserve into a ‘learning ment park’ (i.e. a job opportunity and a landscape’, developing new teaching and tourist attraction). A number of days are learning methods and processes. Learn- spent learning about various aspects ing for sustainability must be designed of the biosphere reserve; how it came holistically in the sense that it must mirror about, which different types of forest, ecological, economic and socio-cultural which biodiversity and which functions frameworks and interactions to make a it contains. Subsequently the children Learning sustainability focuses subject or a problem tangible. Learning are divided up into four groups for the on long-term changes in processes of this kind should be sup- role game of a municipal council meet- patterns of everyday behaviour ported by integrated research approaches, ing; the groups represent the positions whereby natural and social sciences of the investor, the building contractor, interact in an interdisciplinary manner. the owner of the forest land and the nature conservationist (or a nature friend from a hiking or riding club). The prepa- Learning for sustainability: ration within the groups as well as the representation of opposed viewpoints, Examples from German the acceptance of other viewpoints, and biosphere reserves negotiating compromises develop awareness for coping with difficult situations (1) Breakfast at the Rhön between different stakeholders, which biosphere reserve are to do with ‘sustainable decisions’. The role game also serves to convey skills like The initiative of the Bavarian Rhön competence of participation and being biosphere reserve entitled ‘breakfast: able to solve conflicts without violence. healthy – regional – sustainable’ has already been awarded the title of ‘project of the UN Decade’; this initiative pursues a number of goals. Firstly children (from year 3) learn about the groceries they consume on a daily basis; they learn about their contents and how to assess them according to their nutritional value. Secondly they find out about the groceries’ regional origin or, alternatively the vast distance of the import route. Thus the children develop an understanding for the importance of consuming locally produced food and how this can contribute to climate protection and new employment in the region. Last but not least, by preparing the breakfast together and taking time to enjoy their meal, they learn the value of a harmonious family meal, rounded up with playful physical exercise. This project is a child-oriented method and a ‘fun’ way of bringing various dimensions of healthy eating, social (family) aspects of eating as well as a contribution to the local economy together. The action-oriented part of the initiative tells the children that to know is not sufficient.

(2) ‘The forest and I’ – role game in the Schorfheide-Chorin biosphere reserve

This project gives (town-) children the opportunity to get to know certain deci- Photo © Biosphärenreservat Vessertal-Thüringer Wald / K .-h . Bock UNESCO 26 today 2|2007

businesses can be addressed to create even further opportunities for learning. Relations to such new partners certainly need to be strengthened in future.

For the advancement of these learning landscapes outside of the traditional, formal educational institutions, it would be an advantage if approaches and their results could be assessed more than just quantitively. This would not only benefit the World Network of Biosphere Reserves but could also aid the development of new learning cultures in other settings.

Sustainable development should be seen to be a process involving comprehensive, worldwide and permanent changes. These changes are repeatedly reflected in the specific patterns of behaviour of individuals, groups and societies, in lifestyles, patterns of production and consumption, which are directly or indirectly environmentally relevant. To shape these proc- Information centre at the Rhön biosphere reserve esses of change, many instruments (e.g. Photo © Lutz Möller financial incentives or levies, laws and administrative rules) must be used; but just (3) Leisure-time groups for primary the roles of those teaching and those as important are education and learning. school children in the Upper Lausitz learning may very well interchange, leads Heath and Pond Landscape to an interesting approach to the develop- biosphere reserve ment of identification with the region, Prof. Dr. Lenelis Kruse-Graumann has been which can only be of advantage for a a Professor for Psychology at the FernUni- This project addresses a biosphere sustainable, and that means long-lasting versität Hagen from 1985 to 2007. She was reserve’s function, however in this case development of the biosphere reserve. awarded an honorary professorship by the University of Heidelberg in 1988. Since 2000 unusual aspects are dealt with and she has been Chairwoman of the Sciences brought over in an unusual way. Leisure- Expert Committee of the German Commission time groups, which have existed for a The future of education for UNESCO. Since 2004 she has been Deputy long time, consisting of 4 to 13 primary for sustainable development Chairwoman of the National Committee for school children, get together once a week in biosphere reserves the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable and learn about the biosphere reserve. Development; since 1986 she has been a mem- They not only spend time talking to the With their concept of the various zones ber of the German MAB National Committee. project personnel, they also talk to inhab- (from the strictly protected core area, to itants and residents in their various roles the often traditional and carefully treated and positions, who in turn give the chil- buffer zone to the transition area, where dren an insight into the special features sustainable economic development is of the biosphere reserve, the history and possible), biosphere reserves offer out- Literature various stories, thus providing possibili- standing possibilities for creating learning Deutsches Nationalkomitee für das UNESCO ties for the children to identify with their sites and even learning landscapes. Here Programm „Der Mensch und die Biosphäre“ biosphere reserve. The communication learning about sustainability can be made (MAB) (1996) Kriterien für die Anerkennung und between the generations develops on attractive, using different learning Überprüfung von Biosphärenreservaten der both sides and leads to a feeling of methods for different target groups UNESCO in Deutschland. Bonn. belonging and, in the case of the children, every other day. German MAB National Committee (Ed.) (2005). possibly to a lasting bond with the region. Full of Life. UNESCO biosphere reserves – The project staff can derive benefits for In the biosphere reserve, the village Model regions for sustainable development. themselves since their own increased church, the environmentally friendly Berlin Heidelberg. communication with the inhabitants and B&B and the market place can become that of the children, leads to the philoso- learning sites just as much as the UNESCO (1996). Biosphärenreservate. Die Se- phy of the biosphere being spread. classic educational institutions (school, villa-Strategie und die Internationalen Leitlinien higher education establishment, and für das Weltnetz. Herausgeber der Übersetzung: This casual and voluntary communication adult education centre). Administra- Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn. between the generations, during which tive entities, craft enterprises or other 27

Carlo Jaeger The Challenge Climate Change

In the era of globalisation, the local and regional environment becomes increasingly important. Biosphere reserves are sites for social learning in the local community; without a sense of responsibility in the neighbourhood, solidarity on a global level will never be reached. Through information exchange and cooperation in a worldwide network, biosphere reserves can also help to promote collective action in the battle against climate change.

In the debate on climate change two globalisation, the neighbourhood takes worlds, having had too little contact with on a whole new importance, in as far each other in the past, collide: nature as global reasoning has to be turned conservation and industry. Scientists are into local action. Biosphere reserves involved with both worlds. Industry is play an important role in this process: very much dependent on the results of as laboratories for social learning. scientific research. Nowadays nature conservation cannot be thought about without referring to science. The social product of the The hole in the ozone layer cannot be planet will increase sevenfold seen with the naked eye. It can only be recognised with the use of special instru- Currently around six billion people are ments. Climate change will be visible to emitting around seven billion tons of the human eye in due course – however, carbon dioxide annually. By the end when that happens, it will be too late. of the century it is very likely that the In order to be able to detect it early on, world population will increase to nine we are also dependent on science. billion people. The social product of Germany enables its population to Nowadays, we live in a completely new enjoy a high quality of life. Today this dimension of globalisation. There have is not the case in many other parts of been processes of globalisation for the world. Yet, the social product of the some centuries; however they have only entire planet is expected to increase recently started to affect everyone’s daily sevenfold by the end of this century. Photo © Gertrud Hein life. With globalisation in mind, many people consider local and regional envi- When will global emissions decrease ronmental issues to be less important. under these circumstances? Some However, even more so in the era of electricity companies forecast not before

Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: tricky UNESCO 28 today 2|2007

2100. Many specialists, however, say Firm local establishment that emissions must decrease signifi- is crucial cantly before 2030, to counteract drastic consequences of climate change. A study carried out at the Humboldt-Uni- versity in Berlin examined the factors, Without neighbourhood We must, without doubt, do something which led to success or failure of a bio- no sense of civil responsibility for our planet very soon. However people sphere reserve (featured in this journal). do not live in global community; they live It appeared that the most important in local neighbourhood, without which success factor is the degree of estab- there would be no awareness of civil re- lishment in the region. Is the population sponsibility. Collective action on a global involved in the founding process? Can scale is not possible in a society where the reserve spur economic interests of there is no solidarity on a local scale. the population in the long-term existence of the biosphere reserve? The world map of biosphere reserves is made up of hundreds of spots – spots Experts consider capacity-building to be where people live and build neighbour- a significant factor for successful man- hoods. The biosphere reserves are agement. Yet today, the most relevant Climate change makes global established locally on the one side and capacities are no longer related to book interconnectedness visible are an integral part of a global network knowledge but to practical knowledge. on the other side. They are places where experience can be exchanged in The mentioned study also dealt with the all sorts of ways, by doing something question of how important the biosphere about climate change and protecting the managers consider climate change to environment, be it in Germany, South be for their reserves. Most of them America, Africa or China. This makes considered climate change to be only them into laboratories of social learning. one of many important problems. This is possibly realistic taking into account the Photo © Lutz Möller current situation. What is crucial however is whether this attitude will change or not. Still, climate change should not only be regarded as a problem for biosphere reserves; it also presents an opportunity for making the global network visible.

No climate protection without changing consumer patterns

We will only be able to reduce emissions and cope with climate change, if we make significant changes in our day to day lives. We must, for example, start to use different types of cars in future. We must change our consumer habits.

An important issue is how much time will elapse. Ice is melting – it is melting in Greenland and in the Antarctic. Climate change is changing the world we live in, right at this moment. Sea levels are rising, slowly at first, just a few millimetres, then a few centime- tres. In the coming centuries giant ice blocks could come loose and cause sea levels to rise by a couple of metres very rapidly. Consequently, underwa- ter archaeologists may in future find themselves studying the remains of Hamburg, New York and Shanghai. 29

Whether or not we can avoid a climate we do not seriously address the issue as disaster is, not least, dependent on to which institutions are best suited to whether places exist, which are setting deal with such complex long-term issues; new trends. One example is California, the same applies to climate change. a place which inspires collective creativity, for example by passing the recent Biosphere reserves can become powerful climate protection law. institutions, which take on the tasks of sustainable development. They can There have to be places where new become places for social learning. They transport-technologies are tested and de- are already education sites for sustain- We need places to set trends veloped which in turn, encourage the use able development, which could have a of such technologies in other parts of the far-reaching effect – from the neighbour- world. In this regard, the German automo- hood to the global network. In this way, tive industry definitely was too passive each individual biosphere reserve can for too many years while others success- make a contribution by making sure fully took up the challenges of the future. that the meltwater in Greenland and the Antarctic in time ceases to flow.

Stop the meltwater Prof. Dr. Carlo Jaeger is Professor for Biosphere reserves could become Modelling Social Systems at the Department trendsetters, being just the places, which of Economics, University of Potsdam and spread the idea of provision for the future Head of the Department of Global Change and Social Systems at the Potsdam Institute and of a sustainable development across for Climate Impact Research. This contribu- the entire planet. Yet, ideas do not suf- tion is based on his talk at the Potsdam Cli- fice, appropriate institutions are needed. mate Conference in 2006, which was entitled Many public pension schemes and health ‘How can biosphere reserves contribute to care systems are not effective because climate protection?’.

Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Frans Neve UNESCO 30 today 2|2007

Thomas Schaaf Detecting Signals of Global Change

International scientific cooperation using mountain biosphere reserves

Contemporary global environmental change, which is much more than climate change, affects all eco systems. Mountain areas as fragile ecosystems are particularly susceptible as they are subject to both natural and anthropogenic drivers of change. Thus they play an important role for studying and monitoring global environmental change.

Past studies have shown that global elevations and thus replacing other, often cultural calendar. It is obvious that global warming is affecting mountains by: Ac- rare and endangered species; increases change will seriously impact on mountain celerated glacial melt; increased erosion of wild fire frequencies; reduced snow environments and their economies, and and land-slides; migration of warmer cover periods affecting tourist resorts; the livelihoods of people. temperature tolerant species to higher and modified growing periods in the agri- A global network for global data

In this context, mountain biosphere reserves play an important role as monitoring and study sites. They have been designated the world over, and can be used to assess the impact of global change on mountains and their related economies. As biosphere reserves include protected areas in their core zones, the effects of global warming can be studied in natural or near-natural environments, such as the change of composition of plant and animal species over time.

Most biosphere reserves dispose of long term series of climate data (temperature, precipitation) and species lists which can be monitored over time and correlated with global warming. More over, biosphere reserves also include areas where people live and make a living in the transition zones, hence the repercussions of global warming can be assessed on local mountain economies and people’s livelihoods.

The GLOCHAMORE project

This was the starting point for the international project on “Global Change and Mountain Regions (GLOCHAM- ORE)” which uses biosphere reserves Mount Denali in the Denali Biosphere Reserve (USA) as testing sites for global change stud- Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Giant Gingko ies in mountains throughout the world 31

(including the German Berchtesgaden • “Global Change in Mountain Bio- GLOCHAMORE research strategy. Pre- Biosphere Reserve). Scientists from sphere Reserves” (Sörenberg, sented at the Open Science Conference various disciplines, including ecologists, Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve, on “Global Change in Mountain Regions” hydrologists, glaciologists and socio- Switzerland, November 2003); in October 2005, which was organized economists worked with 25 biosphere by the Centre for Mountain Studies at reserve representatives to prepare a Re- • “Global Environmental and Social Moni- Perth College (United Kingdom), the draft search Strategy to detect signals of global toring” (Vienna, Austria, May 2004); strategy was reviewed and discussed in environmental change. The project also the concurrent sessions. The research aimed at evaluating the consequences • “Projecting Global Change Impacts strategy is available in hard-copy as well of global change for mountain regions as in Mountain Biosphere Reserves” as at the UNESCO-MAB website. well as for lowland systems that depend (Gran Sasso National Park, Italy, on mountain resources (highland-lowland November/December 2004); interactions). In this vein, the develop- The research strategy ment of sustainable land, water, and • “Sustainable Land Use and Natu- resource management strategies for ral Resource Management in The research strategy is built on the as- mountain regions can be explored. Mountain Biosphere Reserves” sumption that sustainable management (Granada, Spain, March 2005); can only be achieved with stakeholder For the project, biosphere reserves were involvement. Stakeholder involvement selected as representative sites of major • “Process Studies along Alti- will not only increase the clarity of the mountain ranges in all continents (see tudinal Gradients” (Samedan, research, but also enhance its relevance box on page 32). Site managers of the Switzerland, July 2005). and acceptability, and thus the efficiency mountain biosphere reserves met with and impact of the research project. global change researchers at five inter- Each of these thematic workshops Consulting local people and the manag- national workshops: contributed to the development of the ers of mountain biosphere reserves is

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden is unique among the the backdrop of climate change counts Further information: German biosphere reserves in that it is as one of the greatest challenges in the http://www.regierung-oberbayern. the only alpine landscape. The mountain coming years. de/Bereich5/5wirueberuns/5sgvorstell/ landscape of the north limestone Alps 5Biosphaerenreservat/biosbgl.htm with differences in height of more than 2,000 metres offers a rich diversity of habitats such as alpine mixed forests, alpine meadows and pastures. There are many endangered species to be found here such as the marmot, snow grouse, edelweiss and gentian. This area, in the farthest south-eastern part of Germany, was designated by UNESCO in 1990 and spans 467 km². The national park of the same name makes up the core area and buffer zone of the biosphere reserve.

The topography and climate make agriculture and landcare difficult. The landscape is structured by the small farmsteads, which are in need of further development to be sustainable. The pristine nature and fascinating mountain scenery make this biosphere reserve a magnet for tourism, which accounts for 70 percent of local revenue. The healthy mountain climate is an important factor for marketing the region, especially for people suffering from allergies. The development of sustainable concepts for winter tourism against Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: jackdornothing UNESCO 32 today 2|2007

therefore central to the implementation of future GLOCHAMORE projects.

This research strategy is organized according to our current understanding of the main axes of causality. It focuses first on drivers of global change, then on the impacts of global change on ecosystems, then on the subsequent impacts on ecosystem goods and services, regional economies, and health, and finally on institutional arrangements. Placing the human dimension in the second half of the list emphasizes mountain and lowland people’s dependence on mountain goods and services that are affected by both indirect and direct impacts of global environmental change. Mountain meadows in the Berchtesgaden Biosphere Reserve The GLOCHAMORE project, a consor Photo © Biosphärenreservat Berchtesgaden, Regierung von Oberbayern tium of 14 research institutions, was funded by the European Commission's Sixth Framework Programme and UNESCO’s MAB programme from 2003 to 2005. Several regional workshops (Mendoza, Argentina, March 2006; Almaty, Kazakhstan, November 2006; Kampala, Uganda, 2007) now aim at the implementation of the Research Mountain biosphere reserves Strategy, especially to work out adap- in the GLOCHAMORE project: tation schemes to cope with climate change. Indeed, mountain sites of the – Australia: – Morocco: World Network of Biosphere Reserves Kosciuszko Biosphere Reserve; Oasis du Sud Marocain Biosphere prove to be important in promoting Reserve; – Austria: international scientific collaboration. Gossenköllesee Biosphere Reserve – Peru: and Gurgler Kamm Biosphere Huascaran Biosphere Reserve; Reserve; – Canada: – Russian Federation: Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Katunskiy Biosphere Reserve; Reserve; Sikhote Alinskiy Biosphere Reserve Dr. Thomas Schaaf is a German geographer and Teberda Biosphere Reserve; who works for UNESCO’s Division of – Chile: Ecological and Earth Sciences. In the frame- Araucarias Biosphere Reserve; – South Africa: Kruger to Canyons Biosphere work of the MAB programme he is in charge – China: of research on mountain ecosystems and arid Reserve; Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve; areas. – Colombia: – Spain: The GLOCHAMORE research strategy Cinturón Andino Biosphere Reserve; Sierra Nevada Biosphere Reserve; online: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/ – Germany: – Sweden: 001471/147170E.pdf. Berchtesgaden Biosphere Reserve; Lake Torne Biosphere Reserve; – India: Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve; – Switzerland: Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve and – Kenya: Swiss National Park/Biosphere Mount Kenya Biosphere Reserve; Reserve; – Kyrgyzstan: – United States of America: Issyk Kul Biosphere Reserve; Denali Biosphere Reserve; Glacier – Mongolia: Biosphere Reserve and Niwot Uvs Nuur Basin Biosphere Reserve; Ridge Biosphere Reserve. 33

Claudia Neu Citizens’ Involvement – Success Factor for Rural Areas

All the biosphere reserves existing today in Germany are situated in rural areas. They are, to a greater or lesser extent, affected by demographic developments such as ageing, migration to cities and decline in birth rates. Throughout Germany, increasing support for the economy is usually proposed as the only solution to such demographic problems. That this approach falls short of the actual requirements is shown by a survey carried out in demographically successful villages in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

The rural areas in East Germany – above all in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania – have not had a good press in the past months. Articles on empty, albeit beautiful landscapes appeared again and again – landscapes with few women, children and well-qualified people, but rich in eld- erly citizens. These scenarios of decline were accompanied by descriptions of rural melancholy and social apathy.

Indeed weak economic structures and an accelerating demographic development combine in an unfortunate manner in rural areas. Jobs are rare, small and mini businesses in the industries and the services sector dominate. Even the economically successful agricultural businesses which used to provide hundreds of people with jobs can only offer a handful these days Villages taking part in the study (Neu 2004). Unemployment numbers of © Claudia Neu 30 percent are not unusual in many districts in the North East.

The dismal economic situation of these rural regions will end up in a vicious regions causes many to ‘flee’ to West circle of unemployment, migration and German federal states, above all young ageing, which, in turn, leads to empty women between 18 and 25 years of age, treasuries and a cutback in infrastruc- as well as highly qualified people. Selec- ture. The peripheral rural areas loose tive migration and birth deficits already their socio-economic links to the urban indicate a loss in population of up to centres even more (Barlösius/Neu 2007). 35 percent in individual districts by 2020. Furthermore there is a distinct change This trend is, without doubt, the case for in the age structure of the population. many villages and communities in the Even taking into account a forecasted most rural of areas. However, at the same slight increase in birth rate, the number time, we are observing municipalities, of children and young people in nearly which resist the seemingly unrelenting all Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will trend of draining, shrinking and apathy. In decrease significantly, while the percent- these places activity and social commit- age of over-sixties will increase. In many ment are the order of the day. In the fol- districts this age group will grow to over lowing, these places are the focus of our 40 percent of the population (Ministry attention. Why have they developed dif- of Labour, Building and Development ferently to other villages with similar con- 2005). Economically underdeveloped ditions? What are their success factors? UNESCO 34 today 2|2007

places have had the advantage of farm or land consolidation or village rehabilitation.

The reason for their success lies in the cultural and social strengths of the villages. They succeed because of their active community. The community makes the places attractive for people to move to – above all for families with children – and gives reasons for staying, for example, for commuters. The five very different villages examined have succeeded in decreasing or even stopping the decline in population despite significant differences in the initial economic situation, in the location (suburbs vs. most rural areas) and in population numbers (between 355 and 1,051). Population development in the five villages This relative demographic stability was © Claudia Neu achieved by an active population policy. This includes the designation of building This question was dealt with in the land, the restoration of historical build- study ‘The active and social village’ in ings but also the active fight to retain summer 2005. The study was a joint schools (as in Balow or Spornitz). Of vital effort of the then Ministry of Food, importance is the tremendously diverse Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing of and vibrant community life in all places. Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, the University of Rostock and the Institute Associations and clubs – especially of Higher Education Neubrandenburg. sport clubs and the auxiliary fire brigade, The goal was, on the basis of selected are responsible for the social life in the exemplary villages, to investigate how villages. In Balow over 80 percent of and why precisely these municipalities, the 355 inhabitants take an active part Economy alone cannot being offered the same funding and in the local clubs. In Spoldershagen a explain the positive outcome support programmes as their neighbour traditional annual cultural highlight is communities, developed positively. Those the riding competition ‘Tonnenabschla- involved in the study were: two villages in gen’ at Whitsun, whereby riders knock urban outskirts, Bröbberow (250 inhabit- a hanging barrel until it shatters. In ants) and Woggersin (530 inhabitants), Bröbberow and Woggersin the focus two villages in the periphery, Divitz-Spol- of club activities is on the maintenance dershagen (490 inhabitants) and Balow of the historic village buildings. (355 inhabitants) as well as the ‘industrial village’ Spornitz (1,051 inhabitants). In places where the inhabitants are The study was based on interviews involved in activities, there is always carried out with inhabitants of these vil- a core of players, who are involved in lages in 2005/2006 as well as on group several clubs and who initiate numerous discussions with central stakeholders. activities. It also appears to be crucial to have ‘front men’/’front women’. These are Economic success cannot explain what often mayors who go out of their way to makes these villages more overall suc- fill in all necessary forms, regardless of cessful than other places in Mecklen- their complexity, in order to obtain funds. burg–Western Pomerania. The rate of These representatives of community life unemployment lies between 13 (Wog- have good contacts with the administra- gersin) and 31 percent (Spoldershagen). tion and know where to get help. Their With the exception of Spornitz there distinct activities do not lead to less activ- is hardly any established business of ity amongst the remaining inhabitants. note. Agriculture – with the exception All five villages are distinguished by a of Spornitz – does not play any role with distinctive ‘culture of individual responsi- regard to job opportunities in the villages bility’. The inhabitants have understood either. Tourism, which was Mecklenburg- that the choice of social services Western Pomerania’s greatest hope, is depends on their own personal as good as non-existent. At last, not all commitsment. 35

These observations and the recipes of Many success stories with regard to the the five villages are not easy to trans- villages mentioned above are unfortu- fer. Each community has its own set nately already endangered again due to of historical conditions and other con- the strained budgetary situation and the stellations of stakeholders leading to requirement of local co-financing. This all different forms of commitment. Thus the more underlines the importance of the ‘active and social village’ cannot stable institutional frameworks and the be planned nor ordered; nevertheless need for ideal as well as financial sup- strengths can be identified in each com- port in order to stabilise the widespread “A culture munity. Then all it takes is the realisation citizens’ commitment. More commitment of responsibility“ that to approach, motivate and involve can be raised through: others is for free. Local strengths and ideas may be turned into local economic • better public acknowledgement; services, which could lead to added value and job opportunities locally. • closer cooperation between administration and local stakeholders; Nonetheless the limits of the citizens’ contribution must be clearly defined. The • cross-village/community planning of withdrawal of the state from infrastruc- infrastructure; tural activities on large parts of the territory already leads to large gaps in social • consideration of social issues in the structure, which the commitment of citi- planning of public areas and zens cannot close. The current fashion to stress the importance of neighbourhood • the inclusion of local stakeholders in aid and solidarity in peripheral rural areas rural development projects. should be observed with great care.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve South-East Rügen

The South-East of the Baltic island of Rü- tourism, IT-services, crafts and culture. Motor Biosphere’ is targeted at young gen was designated by UNESCO in 1991. One example of a start-up company is people with the aim of preventing their The entire diversity of Mecklenburg-West- ‘Seeadler Touring’ which organises pack- emigration, introducing business stud- ern Pomeranian coastline landscapes can age tours for young tourists such as ies to schools as an optional subject. be found in this area spanning 235 km². sea-kayak excursions and sailing trips. The Bodden, inland saltwater bay areas, In collaboration with the biosphere with late ice-age island cores and bluffs, reserve a network of businesses aiming Further information: offer a multitude of habitats including: at sustainability in their operations was http://www.biosphaerenreservat- shallow waters with seaweed meadows created. In addition, the ‘Junior Job- suedostruegen.de and kelp forests and mudflats in sheltered bays. On this side of the coast there are Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: ddn99 beech forests, ‘neglected grassland’ and salt marshes. The wide salt reed banks of the inland saltwater bays offer an ideal breeding territory for waterbirds.

The project ‘Job-Motor Biosphere’ was founded in 1999; its objective is to reduce the high unemployment in the area by supporting start-up companies. The role model is the Job-Motor of the Schaalsee biosphere reserve (featured in this journal). More than one hundred participants were supported through individual and group coaching over a number of weeks as well as during regular meetings of working groups. Start-up companies were founded in branches such as UNESCO 36 today 2|2007

Investment in the social and cultural infrastructure must enable citizens to con- Literature tinue to act on their own responsibility and to continue cooperative relationships, Barlösius, Eva und Neu, Claudia (2007): Gleich- thus forming a functioning civil society. wertigkeit – Ade? Die Demographisierung und Peripherisierung entlegener ländlicher Räume. In: The results of our study disclose that mi- Prokla, 36. Jg., H. 1, S. 77-92. gration from rural communities and cultur- Ministerium für Arbeit, Bau und Landesentwick- Supporting citizens’ al decline of the countryside is not an in- lung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Hrsg.) (2005): commitment evitable fate. Through their commitment, Bevölkerungsentwicklung in den Kreisen bis citizens do not only create contacts, 2020, Schwerin. leisure time activities and culture, but Neu, Claudia (2004): Genossenschaftsbauern im also identity and a quality of life, which, ostdeutschen Transformationsprozess – Fallbei- in turn, make their communities attractive spiele aus Brandenburg, Diss. Bonn: Universität and liveable – for new citizens as well. Bonn.

Studie „Das aktive und soziale Dorf“ unter Dr. Claudia Neu is a Scientific Assistant at the Institute for Sociology and Demography at www.mv-regierung.de/lm/news/download/ the University of Rostock. Her work focuses Studie%20zur%20Aktion%20Das%20Aktive% on social structure analysis and transforma- 20und%20soziale%20Dorf-Internet.pdf. tion research as well as rural and agricultural sociology.

Spring market at the Upper Lausitz Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve Photo © Bodo Hering 37

Susanne Stoll-Kleemann Success Factors for Biosphere Reserve Management

Today the UNESCO MAB programme boasts an impressive network of 529 biosphere reserves in 105 countries. Does this increase in numbers go hand in hand with an increase in quality though? Are the institutions responsible for the management of biosphere reserves able to implement the objectives of the biosphere reserve concept on-site? This is the issue under consideration in a research project based at the Humboldt-University in Berlin entitled ‘Governance of Biodiversity’ (GoBi).

The biosphere reserves pursue numerous In addition, there is the factor ‘leader- and complex goals with a great deal of ship’ which describes the qualification conflict potential: conserving nature, en- of the key persons within a biosphere couraging economic activities and stand- reserve for just these central positions. ards of life which are socially-cultural The field of duty of heads of biosphere Leadership skills are needed and ecologically sustainable, promoting reserves is very complex, particularly as a environmental education, carrying out result of the objectives formulated since training, research and monitoring related the mid-nineties on the socio-economic to conservation and sustainability issues level. They have to be able to deal with against the local, regional, national and conflicts between different stakehold- global backdrop. ers in the same way as with long-term financial issues and invasive species. The success of biosphere reserves is Excellent leadership skills are necessary determined by ecological as well as by socio-economic factors. Thus the GoBi Photo © Mirko Pannach research team combines natural and social science concepts and methods to examine the effectivity of management approaches with which protection and development goals are supposed to be reached.

The most important objective of the GoBi research team is to assess factors in the management of biosphere reserves leading to success or failure (see table). The project aims to be able to make general recommendations for the biosphere reserves. The project also aims to provide a comprehensive analytical tool identifying factors of an effective biodiversity and biosphere reserve management.

In 2006 the research team GoBi carried out a survey of 211 of the, at that time, worldwide 507 biosphere reserves. The results showed that the following factors are particularly important for biosphere reserves: Environmental education, cooperation with local authorities, long-term research and monitoring, modern nature conservation programmes and laws, financing guaranteed in the long-term and involvement of local communities in the management of the reserve. UNESCO 38 today 2|2007

and in a ‘best case’ scenario the key activities in the agricultural sector or persons should have a deep affinity with better job opportunities in tourism. the region and the people living there. The results of GoBi show that the man- With regard to the success factor partici- agement of biosphere reserves has to pation, many of the heads of biosphere be adapted to local conditions as well as reserves interviewed by the GoBi to global, national and regional devel- research team point out that the local opments in order to be able to use or population should not only be involved in preserve nature and biodiversity success- management processes. Actually their fully and sustainably. Biosphere reserves need to be able to earn a living should should ultimately lead to stability and be a primary consideration. A stable intactness of ecosystems; they are in economic existence of those residents in need of a differentiated and challenging The population must be the environment of biosphere reserves management for the complex demands able to earn a living is the best way of gaining acceptance made on them. The staff and land users of use-restrictions induced by nature in biosphere reserves must also be better conservation measures. The develop- qualified so that the biosphere reserve ment of alternative sources of income management of the future will do justice can take on different forms, for exam- to ecological, economic and social reali- ple the introduction of new economic ties. This has hardly been the case so far.

Selection of factors influencing the success or failure of biosphere reserves

Management Activities Governance factors External Threats

Rural regional development measures Political support at the regional level Climate change

Environmental education Appropriate funding Invasive species

Research and monitoring (long-term) Absence of corruption Poverty

Locally adapted involvement of the Modern nature conservation Change of lifestyle and consumption population programmes and laws patterns

Practical nature conservation meas- Absence of counterproductive and Commercial exploitation of natural ures like reforestation or the fight competing governmental programmes resources (mines etc.) against erosion Adequate institutional design; precise Conflicts between different population Evaluation for an adaptive distribution of responsibilities between groups management authorities Population growth Good working relations /coop- Compensation for use restrictions eration with authorities Proximity to cities Clear demarcation of borders Law enforcement (inter alia use of sanctions) Local communities supporting the biosphere reserve ‘Leadership’

Sufficient (qualified) staff in the biosphere reserve

Source: Stoll-Kleemann, Indicators and Evaluation of Sustainable Natural Resource Management and Governance in Biosphere Reserves . Global Change Impacts in Mountain Biosphere Reserves: UNESCO; p . 237-245 . 39

The values and advantages of biosphere Dr. Susanne Stoll-Kleemann is a lecturer at Literature reserves must, in future, be more con- the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences at the Humboldt-University vincingly put over to decision-makers Susanne Stoll-Kleemann. Voices for Biodiversity in Berlin, where she heads the research team and their consultants. Scientists and Management in the 21st Century. Environment, managers must make politicians under- GoBi. The project (duration 2004 - 2009) is financed by the Robert-Bosch-Foundation. 10: 24–36. stand the capital that biosphere reserves represent in particular for communities Further information: directly concerned and in general for http://www.biodiversitygovernance.de entire economies.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Danube Delta Transboundary, Romania and Ukraine

On land it offers one of the last refuges flood plains in the delta have been suc- for the European mink and the wildcat. cessfully renatured. This motivated the renaturing programme ‘green corridor’, Not only is the animal world diverse, the largest transboundary project of this but also the human population. Roma- kind so far. It was signed by the Minis- nians, Ukrainians, Russians, Lipovans, ters for the Environment from Romania, Moldavians, Turks and Gagauz people Bulgaria, Moldova, and the Ukraine and are all resident in this biosphere reserve. should protect the wetlands situated at The unemployment is high; sources of the delta of the lower Danube. In addition income are fishing, hunting, stock farm- to its multiple research and monitoring ing, subsistence farming, reed harvesting activities, the biosphere reserve is also and tourism. The increase in agriculture is supposed to make a contribution to solv- a threat to the ecological balance. The im- ing mutual socio-economic problems. pact of the opening of the Ukrainian Bys- tre-Canal in 2004 cannot yet be assessed. Further information: http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/ Since the designation of the biosphere directory/biores.asp?mode=all&Code= reserve many of the destroyed or drained ROMUKR+01 Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Mugur Paun

The largest wetland in Europe is a laby- rinth of countless lakes, channels, islands and canals. In 1991 this second largest river delta in Europe was simultaneously designated as a biosphere reserve and as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The biosphere reserve core area comprises almost 12 percent of the 6,264 km² total area. The delta is renowned for its variety of bird species: 312 bird species use this wetland as a habitat, breeding or resting place while migrating to the Photo © Flickr South. The waters offer a home to 90 Creative Commons: fish species, to monk seals and otters. Mugur Paun UNESCO 40 today 2|2007

Armin Kullmann Regional Marketing in German Biosphere Reserves 2007

Regional marketing in Germany is booming. Over 500 regional marketing projects are registered on the database maintained by the German Association for Landscape Conservation; more than half have a focus on agriculture. Regional products in the retail food trade are just as common these days as farmers’ markets and regional produce shops, as well as gastronomy projects of the tourist industry. Many projects are located in the model regions of the UNESCO biosphere reserves. These regions develop own brands and coordination centres or marketing organisations, which organise functional logistics and distribution.

The status of regional marketing in the In the biosphere reserve Schorfheide- biosphere reserves was investigated Chorin, the former marketing logo was between 2001 and 2003 within the developed into a regional quality brand framework of a research and develop- using the framework of the programme ment (R&D) project commissioned by ‘Active Regions’. This serves, above all, Spree Forest cucumber the Federal Agency for Nature Conserva- to extend the admissible origin of the and eco-carp tion (BfN) and financed by the Federal products. Individual projects were also Ministry for the Environment, Nature promoted, such as a franchising concept Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). for regional retailers or a brand name for Since then, regional marketing has game products. developed further in some biosphere reserves. Examples of current develop Endogenous potentials were made use ments are presented in a brochure of in an exemplary fashion in the Spree- produced by EUROPARC Deutschland wald biosphere reserve. After German and the BfN in 2006. For the purposes unification, the survival of the traditional of this journal a survey was carried out cucumber industry was seriously at all the remaining biosphere reserves. threatened. They were supported by the biosphere reserve establishing the over-arching economic area ‘Wirt- Photo © Gertrud Hein schaftsraum Spreewald’. A ‘Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)’ issued by the European Union today ensures that famous Spree Forest cucumbers pre- dominately originate from this region.

‘Biosphere innkeepers’ is a key project of the Upper Lausitz Heath and Pond Landscape biosphere reserve. Following many years of experience in marketing Christmas geese, the local important pond industry is to be involved in the future as a potential partner; possibly marketing eco-carp.

The regional brand of the Schaalsee biosphere reserve is already being used by about 60 businesses. The famous German movie director Detlev Buck was awarded with the regional brand for his most recent film ‘Hands off Mississipi’ – a clever PR-event! Farmers’ markets regularly take place at the information centre ‘Pahlhuus’. 41

The Elbe River Landscape biosphere Lower Saxon Elbe River Landscape and reserve also organises an annual farmers’ the Upper Lausitz Heath and Pond Land- market and promotes the marketing of scape biosphere reserves. The Wadden fruit juice produced in traditionally man- Sea of Lower Saxony biosphere reserve aged orchards. A feasibility study for a as a ‘Sustainable Region’ is to receive regional brand was carried out and an ap- increased European Union funding. plication was submitted to the European Union funding scheme LEADER for the In the Bliesgau biosphere reserve (cur- Strengthening purpose of introducing the regional brand. rently being founded) regional market- regional brands ing is actively being put into practice The Franco-German Pfälzerwald/Vosges with the Bliesgau-Regal, a rack with a du Nord transboundary biosphere reserve set range of regional produce. Eleven commissioned a feasibility study for a suppliers currently market around 50 transboundary regional brand in 2006/ different products in 25 supermarkets. 2007. Approximately 35 partner busi- Special action weeks, for example nesses and the 30 suppliers of the to promote beer, game and lamb as successful German-French farmers’ well as ‘products of the month’, are an markets (about 10 to 12 events per year) integral part of the marketing strategy. are to be integrated under this brand. Some of the mentioned projects and In the Rhön biosphere reserve a new, uni- regional brands from biosphere reserves form brand was developed, which is now are well known today at the national level. being used by 125 businesses. The focus In other biosphere reserves, regional mar- is on meat and its products. The twelve keting is less well developed. There, the partner businesses of the biosphere topic is either not considered to be a cen- reserves use a joint eco-regional brand. tral item for the purposes of sustainable More and more processing and retail economies; instead there is stronger fo- businesses from the region are using the cus on tourism and environmental educa- association with the biosphere reserve tion. Other biosphere reserves do not see for their own marketing purposes. any possibility to spur on regional development due to their size, their geographi- Increasing In the Berchtesgaden biosphere reserve cal structure or their staff resources. national significance there are even three organisations promoting regional marketing today. Success factors Following the R&D project ‘Sustainable Management in Biosphere Reserves’ in The following aspects are important 2007 and 2008, regional marketing will success factors for a regional marketing also gain greater in importance in the conception for biosphere reserves:

Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Scoobay UNESCO 42 today 2|2007

This is definitely appropriate for making marketing projects economically viable. With a larger backdrop for business the number of farmers, medium-sized production and retail businesses grows; the distributed amounts grow with the number of customers. In that way piece prices decrease, the organisation pays off sooner and becomes less dependent on subsidies. Yet also larger regions are, for the most part, reliant on subsidies for the first three to five years.

As a result regional brands from different regions now compete for scarce rack space in the supermarkets of large cities; also the respective governance-structures are in competition. Competition will require increasingly professional structures as well as different production and distribution scales in future.

On the other hand, the food retail in dustry is now more easily accessible for regional products. In the federal state of Hesse for example the supermarket chain REWE is increasing its range of regional products on offer. EDEKA Südwest, another grocery store chain, is already copying the ‘regional marketing strategy’, developing a regional retail brand of its own. Middle-sized branches such as Tegut Photo © Lutz Möller in Fulda and Feneberg in Kempten use marketing of eco- and regional products in order to enhance their company profile. The economic success of marketing a) Size of the region. Many biosphere Competition for the biosphere projects more and more depends on the reserves are too small for effective reserves retail food industry. It is the driving force and efficient projects. In these cases, for new scales, structures and levels of involving the administrative district as These days, the biosphere reserves are professionalism of regional marketing a whole could be useful. no longer the only model regions aspiring projects. b) Criteria of production. Conventional to sustainable development. Sustainabil- production is not sustainable, ecologi- ity is also aimed at by nature parks in the cal production usually results in too PLENUM-regions in Baden-Württemberg The need for further research limited production. An appropriate or in the project ‘Active Regions’ (2001- criterion could be ‘ecological plus 2007) defined by the Federal Ministry After the BMU paved the way, the extensive’. for Food, Agriculture and Consumer BMELV is supporting the regional move- c) Involvement of local businesses. Not Protection (BMELV). In addition European ment and regional marketing throughout only farmers and craftsmen, but also Union governance structures such as Germany more actively. For example, it the production and retail industries ILEKS and LEADER play a role. All these supports the internet platforms www. should be approached. backdrops for activity either overlap or tagderregionen.de and www.reginet.de. d) Political support by politicians, above end up in competition with each other. However research is being neglected at all by the ministry in charge at federal present and it is no longer keeping up state level. In regional development and regional with the changes occurring in practice. marketing there is a definite trend There are still no cost-benefit analyses Within the framework of the above men- towards large territories with regard to available for regional marketing projects, tioned R&D project, 20 success factors admissible origin of products like the neither for entire projects nor for the indi- were identified, by which the strengths (entire) Rhön, the Eiffel, the whole of Ost vidual farm, the middle-sized business and weaknesses of regional marketing friesland or the Bodensee region. New or for trade. There is an urgent need for can be assessed efficiently. over-arching regional brands serve as research, as the presumed results will umbrella brands, for non-food products as almost certainly be suitable for attracting well as for integrated location-marketing. further businesses. 43

Research is also lacking on the more am- marketing. The catalogue of demands authorities and ministries as well as in bitious intention of some model regions put on the biosphere reserves has the administrative districts involved is to support sustainable economic develop expanded drastically over the last also necessary. However, how can such ment. This relates to, above all, the decades, while the human resources support be systematically improved? UNESCO biosphere reserves, but also the and budgets have hardly changed to PLENUM-regions in Baden Württemberg this day. Human and other resources A handle is to regularly check customer and future LEADER projects. The develop- as well as insufficiently qualified staff satisfaction. The image and performance ment of regional added value chains is mean that professionalism is sadly of regional management are regularly often fundamentally important. However lacking with regard to tackling regional checked, for example, in the PLENUM what does sustainable economic devel- development and regional marketing. programme by the self-assessment opment mean beyond typical regional method of the EFQM model (European development projects? Can biosphere Some projects in the biosphere reserves, Foundation for Quality Management). reserves offer more business-oriented even more so in other regions such Additionally, an external assessment is support for sustainable economy? What as ‘Active Regions’, PLENUM or ‘Our carried out through consulting regional do the businesses need and what do they Country’ (Unser Land) however show key persons. Coaching for specialist and expect? An R&D project addressing these that large, ambitious as well as economy- executive staff is also becoming increas- very questions ‘Sustainable Economic oriented projects can be organised. Thus ingly established in regional development. Development in Biosphere Reserves’ is in the biosphere reserves, structures as Systematic instruments such as these currently being commissioned by the ‘intermediary organisations’ have to be can also serve to optimise organisational BMU, exemplary in two of the German created, which allow for entrepreneurial structures, leadership, strategies and biosphere reserves. action in regional or marketing manage- marketing for achieving sustainability ment. Such intermediary structures goals in the biosphere reserves. have successfully been put into place A match to this challenge? in the case of the LEADER or PLENUM programmes for regional management. Armin Kullmann is an Agricultural Engineer The association of German protected Such concepts were in effect already and works for the Institute for Rural Develop- areas, EUROPARC Deutschland poses encouraged for the biosphere reserves ment Research in Frankfurt am Main (IfLS). some fundamental and critical ques- by the National Guidelines. The support For references, consult the German version of tions in a new guideline on regional of decision-makers in higher-ranking this journal: www.unesco.de/uh2-2007.html

Photo © Gertrud Hein UNESCO 44 today 2|2007

Martin Kremer Marketing Local Produce in the Rhön Bioshpere Reserve

The Rhön, with its three parts in the three federal states Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia was designated and honoured as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1991. The Rhön biosphere reserve, a product of German unification had set itself numerous goals: The marketing of local products; the revival of regional economic cycles and close cooperation with local farms. The focus on regional development was the decisive factor in gaining public acceptance of this initially controversial project.

Close cooperation across the federal At the beginning there various breeds in the Rhön. Those shep- states was agreed upon right from the was the Rhön sheep herds, who have committed themselves start. Sponsoring agencies have accom to ecological animal husbandry, have panied and supported the governmental One of the first projects, which, looking been able to find important and trustwor- participants involved. This is especially back was particularly exemplary, was the thy partners via the marketing initiative. the case in Hesse, where a sponsoring Rhön sheep project. In the 18th century agency had already been founded in the hundreds of thousands of sheep could very early nineties. As a regional-develop- be seen grazing in the Rhön; however Rhön apple initiative ment-forum attracting European Union sheep farming suffered heavy losses subsidies to this day, the sponsoring after the Second World War. In particular, The ‘apple initiative’ is another successful agency has been able to promote a the small farmed country breeds could project in the Rhön biosphere reserve. consistent and focussed regional de- hardly compete with the modern meat Nobody in their right mind would refer to velopment with the mission statement breeds. Towards the end of the seven- the rather rough mountain range of the “protection through utilisation”. ties the Rhön sheep was almost extinct. Rhön with altitudes of up to 950 metres In the eighties private people and the as an apple-growing region. Nevertheless Bavarian nature conservation NGO ‘Bund numerous traditional types of fruit have Naturschutz’ began to look into the survived. Pomologists talk of around 400 types of apples. The biosphere reserve Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: chrish ffm studbook breeding of this robust country breed, which is especially appropriate recognised this potential very early. for landscape conservation. There were During the mid-nineties the Rhön apple also enthusiasts in Thuringia who secured initiative, which is an association of apple the survival of the Rhön sheep despite farmers, started to harvest apples from the adverse regulations in the former traditional Rhön orchard meadows and GDR. The Rhön biosphere reserve has marketed them in bio-quality. Local fruit been organising extensive marketing crushing and pressing plants, like the measures, culinary events for gourmets, medium-sized Elm plant, have specialised excursions for shepherds and has been in the production of top-quality apple in dialogue with retailers since it was juices, cider and sparkling apple wine. founded. Bit by bit the stock of Rhön Products from the Rhön are already sheep was able to be increased to about listed in the delicatessens of Berlin and 4,000 ewes. In fact, the Rhön sheep has contribute to the economy of the region. been the mascot of the Rhön, as well The Rhön apple beer, produced by the as an advertising icon, for some time. eco-brewery Rother-Bräu, apple chips from the centre for the disabled Anto- Rhön sheep flocks are put to use in all niusheim and top-quality jellies from three federal states for the purpose of smaller producers represent further landscape conservation. Locally produced products, which emanate from the Rhön meat is marketed in bio-quality via baby- apple initiative and are now a standard food manufacturers and chain stores. product in the regional supermarkets. Also the other sheep-farming businesses in the Rhön have been profiting from a marketing collaboration with the ‘tegut’ retail chain for quite some time. In 2006, 5,000 animals were marketed with this partner. Today there are 20,000 ewes of 45

Protection of the European in close cooperation with fishing clubs, brand’ are either certified bio-products crayfish the fishing authority and fish farms. or in other cases certified as correspond- ing to conventional quality standards. The Rhön biosphere reserve crayfish project, started up as a species protection Rhön umbrella brand – The biosphere reserve is highly accepted project in 2000, is supposed to benefit top-quality gastronomy by the local population, which is, in the the local catering industry in future. A part main, due to the successful marketing of of this project was to plot and analyse Many further regional development regional products and to the consequent the watercourse. European crayfish were projects can be added. The ‘Rhön safeguarding of the existence of local counted in ten streams. Also present biosphere cattle’ and the ‘Rhön goat farms. The high acceptance is a fact, in four of the major stretches of water project’ are today promoters of the supported by representative surveys. It are American signal crayfish, which may biosphere reserve. Both projects are is important to be aware that marketing spread the crayfish plague and thus may also making a significant contribution projects take up to ten years in order endanger the crayfish stocks. Currently to landscape conservation. Impor- to establish their niche in the market. there is a move towards marketing the tant markets for these top-class food Such long-term processes are impossi- American signal crayfish for introduction products could be entered. Similar ble without motivated partners, creative to the local crayfish trade. At the same developments are occurring for rape- staff and a great deal of patience. In this time crayfish are being bred in specially seed oil and honey from the biosphere way success can be achieved on a much designed ponds for future upscale mar- reserve. The brown trout from the Rhön larger scale than initially imagined. keting. Stock protection measures carried is established as a top-quality product Martin Kremer is head of the department out annually since 2004 are proving to within the local catering industry. Many ‘biosphere reserve und nature park’ in the be successful. Volunteers are involved in products from the biosphere reserve, Hessian Rhön and Manager of the Asso- the project, which is being implemented marketed under the ‘Rhön umbrella ciation ‘Natur und Lebensraum Rhön’.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Rhön

The Rhön is representative of the land occupation. The core zone is made up ent aspects due to their different local scape of the low mountain ranges in cen- of beech forests and high moors. The structures. They have, however, mutually tral Germany. It is situated in the triangle diversity of species in the protected succeeded in developing the Rhön into across Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia and habitats is very high; living conditions for a ‘role-model’ biosphere reserve. The spans around 1,850 km², 42 km² of which many threatened species such as the economic and demographic develop- comprise the core area and 675 km² the black grouse, the corncrake, the black ment is better than in comparable areas, buffer zone. Each federal state has estab- stork and the kingfisher, are favourable. the identification with the biosphere lished an administration for its part of the The living conditions for black grouse reserve is high; the marketing of re- region. The region was designated by have continuously been improved during gional products is an important factor. The UNESCO in 1991. the last 25 years in the largest non-alpine development of regional supply chains nature reserve in Bavaria. This has been contributes to the image and creates new The isolated location, particular natural achieved by keeping the landscape open jobs in the Rhön. Environmental educa- features and the firmly rooted agricultural by landscape planning, hunting natural tion and research are a further focus tradition have led to a cultural landscape enemies and keeping tourists informed. of the work in the biosphere reserve. and rural settlement structures, which are, for the most part, intact still today. The three administrations of the Further information: The Rhön boasts a variety of landscapes: biosphere reserve focus on differ- http://www.biosphärenreservat-rhoen.de the ‘Hohe Rhön’ is a plateau, which was kept open due to traditional human use and is thus covered by ‘neglected grass- Rhön shop selling local ecological produce / Photo © Gertrud Hein lands’. The extensive views which can be admired led to the tourist slogan ‘land of open distances’. The Hessian Rhön is characterised by the striking cone-shaped mountains and a park-like appearance, the Thuringian Rhön by unique lime neglected grassland connected over large areas and by agriculture dominated by large concerns. The Bavarian Rhön is characterised by open, unsettled meadows and a vegetation rich in flowers. Here the predominant occupation is farming, more often than not in the form of a secondary UNESCO 46 today 2|2007

Criteria for Biosphere Reserves in Germany

In the spring of 2007 the German MAB National Committee adopted the revised ‘Criteria for the Designation and Evaluation of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Germany’. Below we are publishing this new catalogue of criteria as well as some extracts from the introduction, with kind permission of the MAB National Committee. The elaborate explanations relating to the criteria are not included here. The authoritative version of these criteria will be published in the near future by the Federal Agency for Nature (BfN). Introduction

In order to do justice to its international commitments the are forwarded to Paris following a positive vote. UNESCO German MAB National Committee adopted ‘Criteria for Des- can request additional information from the German MAB ignation and Evaluation of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves National Committee or from the respective Federal State. in Germany’ in 1996. With the help of these criteria, in line with the international guidelines, several new applications for The highest ranking decision-making body of the MAB biosphere reserve designation have been assessed, as well as programme, the International Coordination Council (ICC) for changes in existing biosphere reserves. The national criteria makes a decision on the application during one of its bi- implement a clear-cut international assignment, with the goal annual meetings as does the so-called ‘Bureau’ in the of developing a network of exemplary areas in Germany. At interim. The decision is based on a professional vote by the same time the criteria contribute towards safeguarding the International Advisory Committee for Biosphere Re- and developing the quality of German biosphere reserves. serves after which the ICC may make a recommendation to the UNESCO Director General regarding designation. Ten years after the adoption of these first national criteria, the MAB National Committee in cooperation with the ‘Permanent Working Group of the German Biosphere Reserves’ (AGBR) decided that the time had come for a revision. The ‘Working Group on Nature Conservation, Landscape Management and Recrea- tion of the Federal States’ (LANA) played a part in the process, resulting in a formal statement issued in autumn 2006. As before, the criteria are supported by scientific results and incorporate technical requirements on the one hand; on the other, they are based on extensive experiences made during the course of the regular evaluation of biosphere reserves in Germany to date.

Applications for designation of a region as a biosphere reserve are to be filed by the Ministry in charge at the respective Federal Sate. The application should be agreed upon by all Federal State Ministries or similarly confirmed by an overarch- ing cabinet decision, in order to guarantee that, in future all biosphere reserve conservation and development goals are formulated and implemented in agreement. Three copies of the application are to be sent to the chairman of the MAB National Committee at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).

The Secretariat of the German MAB National Committee at the BfN will check the application for accuracy and complete- ness. This being the case a technical assessment, carried out by the German MAB National Committee, will follow, carried out on the basis of the mentioned criteria. Assessing the area specified in the application in depth at the location itself is an essential method of work of the German MAB National Committee. It makes a reasoned decision regarding the application and whether to forward it to the Core area of the Vessertal-Thüringen Forest Biosphere Director General of UNESCO. According to UNESCO rules, Reserve three copies of the ‘Biosphere Reserve Nomination Form’ Photo © Lutz Möller 47

Legal framework of Biosphere Reserves in Germany

Nature conservation and environmental sential parts of the area concerned, “ensure that biosphere reserves are protection in Germany are under the re- and the greater part of the remain- developed progressively via core areas, sponsibility of the federal states. The stat- ing area meets the criteria defined buffer zones and transition areas, while utory regulation for biosphere reserves for landscape protection areas, allowing for the exemptions required in varies from federal state to federal state. view of the size of the area and exist- The framework of nature conservation is 3. the area serves the primary purpose ing human settlements in the area, fixed in accordance with the federal au- of preserving, developing or restor- and that biosphere reserves receive thorities. Since 1998 biosphere reserves ing landscape shaped by traditional, the same level of protection as that have been a category of protected areas diverse forms of use, along with afforded to nature conservation areas of the Federal Nature Conservation Act. its historically evolved diversity of or landscape protection areas. species and biotopes, including According to § 25, para. 1, Federal Nature wild forms and formerly cultivated This lawful regulation of protected areas Conservation Act, the biosphere re- forms of commercially used or us- makes no explicit reference to UNESCO. serves are „areas designated on a able animal and plant species, and Several federal states have passed laws legally binding basis as areas to be to establish biosphere reserves in accord protected and developed on a uniform 4. the area concerned serves as a with federal law. Some federal state basis, that meet the following criteria: model for the development, practical regulations require the designation as application and testing of particularly a UNESCO biosphere reserve whereas 1. the area concerned is of major sustainable cultivation and manage- others differ from the MAB international size and shows the characteristic ment methods, taking account of guidelines. Many federal states had features of specific landscape types, vulnerable natural resources.” already laid down biosphere reserves in their own Nature Conservation Acts 2. the criteria defined for ‘nature § 25, para. 2, Federal Nature Conserva- before this framework legislative regula- conservation areas’ are met in es- tion Act obliges the federal states to tion.

The Catalogue of Criteria consists of the ‘application criteria’ (A), larger than this, if appropriate administrative resources which must already be fulfilled at the time of application on the are provided. (A) one hand. The ‘evaluation criteria’ (B) on the other hand, need to be fulfilled imperatively, but after a grace period. Both Zonation types of criteria together describe the full set of goals of the biosphere reserve. The division of criteria into two categories (3) The biosphere reserve must be divided into core areas, does not place any particular emphasis on either of the individu- buffer zones and transition areas. (A) al criteria with regard to the goals of UNESCO biosphere reserves in Germany. (4) The core area must take up at least 3% of the total area. (A)

(5) The buffer zone shall take up at least 10% of the total Catalogue of Criteria area. (A) Structural Criteria (6) The core area and buffer zone, together, shall account for Representativity at least 20% of the total area. The core area shall be (1) The biosphere reserve must contain landscapes and surrounded by the buffer zone. (A) habitats that, to date, are not well-represented by the biosphere reserves in Germany and which, as a result (7) The transition area must take up at least 50% of the total of their natural, cultural, as well as social aspects, are area; in marine areas, this requirement applies to the land particularly appropriate for implementing UNESCO’s area. (A) MAB programme in Germany in an exemplary fashion, and for representing it internationally. (A) Legal Protection

(8) The biosphere reserve’s protective purpose, and its mainte- Size of the area nance and development goals, both for the entire area and (2) The biosphere reserve should, as a rule, comprise at least within the individual zones, must be safeguarded by legal 30,000 ha and should not be larger than 150,000 ha. Trans- ordinances – or through federal state and regional planning federal-state biosphere reserves may have a total area and programmes. On the whole, the majority of the area UNESCO 48 today 2|2007

Photo © Karl-Friedrich Abe

must be under legal protection. The status of already (14) The area must be overseen by a full-time administration. (B) existing protected areas must not be downgraded. (B) (15) The local population, the on-site responsible organisations (9) The core area must be legally protected, as a national park and the stakeholders of the region must be involved or nature reserve or by similar lawful means safeguarding as active partners in forming the biosphere reserve the goal of natural evolution. (A) as an area for living, working and for recreation. (B)

(10) The buffer zone shall be legally protected as a national park (16) In order to support the administration, suitable non- or nature reserve or by similar lawful means if seen as be- governmental structures and forms of organisation ing worthy of such protection or appropriate to its require- should be developed and involved as partners. (B) ments, especially for reaching the goal of protecting biodiversity, in particular with regard to the genetic or biological Planning and structural diversity as well as the diversity of use. (B) (17) A concerted ‘framework concept’ must be drafted and (11) Those parts of the transition areas that are worthy of presented three years after the biosphere has been protection shall be legally protected. (B) designated by UNESCO. The application must contain a commitment to provide the required budgetary funds. (A) Administration and Organisation (18) For those areas in the buffer zones and transition areas that (12)The biosphere reserve must be equipped with a capable are in particular need of maintenance and protection, main- and effective administration within three years of the tenance and development plans shall be prepared within designation of the biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Its five years after designation of the biosphere reserve. set-up must be across scientific and administrative sec- Similarly, special planning schemes for the sustainable tions according to the three functions of the biosphere development of tourism, transport and settlement in the reserves. It must be equipped with the appropriate transition area shall be prepared within five years. The basis technical and administrative personnel as well as with for these instruments shall be the ‘framework concept’ for the appropriate funds and equipment for carrying out the biosphere reserve. (B) its tasks. The application must include a commitment to provide the required institutional budgetary funds. (A) (19) The goals of the biosphere reserve and the ‘framework concept’ shall be integrated as fast as possible within the (13) The administration of the biosphere reserve must be federal state and regional planning and within landscape organised as a part of the appropriate intermediate, and urban land use planning. (B) higher, or highest Federal State Authority. The competencies of the biosphere reserve’s administration and (20) The goals for the protection, maintenance and develop- its cooperation mechanisms with other administrative ment of the biosphere reserve shall be taken into account entities should be dealt with at federal state-level. (B) when updating other sectoral technical planning. (B) 49

Functional Criteria Ecosystems and landscape maintenance Sustainable economic use (26) Goals, concepts and measures for the protection, mainte- (21) Sustainable forms of economic use and sustainable devel- nance and development of landscapes and habitats, as well opment of the biosphere reserve and of its surrounding as for regeneration of impaired areas, must be spelled out region should be promoted and supported in all economic and implemented. (B) sectors and areas of life, in keeping with regional and inter- regional possibilities and resources. Relevant administra- (27) Animal and plant biocoenoses and their habitat locations tive, planning and financial measures shall be identified must be documented, taking into account species and and listed. (B) biotopes listed in Red Data Books. Species and biocoenoses typical for specific ecosystems should be (22) Ecologically sustainable forms of land use shall be devel- particularly considered. (B) oped on a long-term basis within the primary economic sector (farming, forestry, fishing and mining). In particular, (28) When interventions are made in ecosystems or in a land- land use must take the zonation of the biosphere reserve scape and when compensation and replacement measures into account. (B) are carried out, applicable regional visions and environmental quality targets and standards must be properly taken (23) In the secondary economic sector (crafts and industry) into account. (B) energy consumption, use of raw materials and waste management, amongst others, shall be geared towards Biodiversity the vision of sustainable development. (B) (29) Important sites for floral and faunal genetic resources (24) The tertiary economic sector (services, inter alia in retail, must be specified and described; suitable measures transport and tourism) shall be geared towards the vision must be designed and implemented for conserving these of sustainable development. Biosphere reserves must rise resources at the sites where they were discovered. (A) to this challenge, not least because of their significance as target areas for tourism. (B) Research

(25) The public authorities are particularly called for to act as (30) Applied research targeted at implementation shall be car- role models with regard to sustainable development. ried out in biosphere reserves; basic research would also (B) be considered. The focus fields of planned research shall be

A Transboundary Biosphere Reserve for Korea?

The demilitarised zone separates North cause of the military situation; the South steps, in order to be able to take ad- Korea from South Korea since the cease- Korean government is nevertheless in vantage of unexpected possibilities. fire in 1953. The 4 km wide and 248 km favour of the project and last stated long buffer zone resembles the former this long-term commitment in 2005. This information was supplied by Suk Kyung inner-German border. The area has not Shim. She is in charge of the MAB programme been exposed to human influence of An internationally recognised protected at the South Korean National Commission any kind for more than 50 years. Today area scheme serves as a key for the for UNESCO and is currently doing her PhD in Berlin on the subject of the inner-German demilitarised zone, as the ecological it is a natural treasure trove with many Green Belt and the Korean Demilitarised rare species such as the red-crowned value has international implications and Zone. crane and the Eurasian black vulture. as it could support peace in the area. A biosphere reserve is appropriate in that This makes the demilitarised zone unique conflict resolution and protection are and particularly worth protecting. The important in and around the demilitarised Republic of Korea has looked at various zone and local communities should be international programmes; a biosphere able to develop in a sustainable fashion. reserve appears to be especially suitable. Since 2001 South Korean authorities, Compared to other transboundary with the Ministry of the Environment in biosphere reserves, the states of the the fore, have been developing specific formerly unified Korea have many things strategies and schedules for a ‘Biosphere in common. However the political Reserve Demilitarised Zone Korea’. As situation makes it improbable that the a go-between, UNESCO and the MAB biosphere reserve can be established The demilitarised zone at the inner- programme introduced the project to the in the near future. The South Korean Korean border. People’s Republic of Korea. North Korea side continues to work on solid action Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: has thus far rejected the suggestion be- plans and is taking possible one-sided Daniel Brennwald UNESCO 50 today 2|2007

documented in the application for designation and also in taking into consideration the specific circumstances of the the ‘framework concept’. The research relevant to the biosphere reserve. Resulting measures should be imple- biosphere reserve should be coordinated by the adminis- mented in the biosphere reserve on a long-term basis. (B) tration of the biosphere reserve, adjusted and documented with the researchers. The application must include a (35) Each biosphere reserve must have at least one information commitment to provide the required budgetary funds; centre with full-time staff present throughout the year. The alternatively, it must substantiate other sources of research information centre should be supplemented by non-central funding. (B) information offices. (B)

Monitoring (36) Close cooperation should be sought with existing educational institutions. (B) (31) The necessary qualifications for carrying out monitoring in the biosphere reserve, in terms of staffing, technical Public relations and communication equipment and budgetary funding must be fulfilled. (A) (37) The German biosphere reserves appear in public under the (32) Ecological environmental monitoring in the biosphere umbrella brand ‘National Natural Landscapes’. (A) reserve shall be adjusted to the general approaches to monitoring in the biosphere reserves in Germany, in the (38) The biosphere reserve must do public relations according programmes and concepts of the European Union, of to an expert concept. Partners, from all walks of life, the federal government and of the federal states as well should be involved in the implementation of the MAB as with the existing routine monitoring programmes of programme as a result of public relations activities of the federal government and the federal states. (B) a biosphere reserve. (B)

(33) Data relative to the establishment and operation of national (39) Regional networks should be established to encourage and international monitoring systems, whose collec- communication and to facilitate the balancing of interests. tion is required by the MAB programme, must be made Consultants or moderators can be installed as supervisors. available by the administration of the biosphere reserve (B) free of charge to institutions named for this purpose by the federal government and the federal states. (B) Cooperation with the World Network

Education for Sustainable Development (40) Biosphere reserves shall make their contribution to the World Network according to the Seville Strategy and the (34) The content and structure of education for sustainable international guidelines. Technical and funding qualifications development as one of the central tasks of the adminis- for appropriate activities of the biosphere reserves must tration should be laid down in the ‘framework concept’ be fulfilled. (B)

Zonation of a Biosphere Reserve © DUK, inspired by a figure of the MAB National Committee /Ad Das Werbeteam 51

Klaus Jarmatz The Framework Concept: a Chance for Integrative Nature Conservation

The Seville Strategy for the programme ‘Man and the Biosphere’, which was adopted in 1995, recommends concrete strategies for biosphere reserves in the 21st century. Above all, it deals with their role as model regions for the implementation of important aspects of the Agenda 21. Devising local consultative frameworks (subsequently called framework concepts) for biosphere reserves is an important recommendation of the Seville Strategy.

Framework concepts are strategies In the Schaalsee biosphere reserve, 21 process and was to use a coopera- adapted to special regional features, which was designated by UNESCO in tive and consensus-oriented approach. which serve as central instruments for 2000, the framework concept instrument implementing the highly ambitious tasks was taken up quickly in order to meet The concept should point out the of the biosphere reserves, both at the internationally and nationally required chances for a sustainable, i.e. eco- regional and the local level. The multiplica- targets and simultaneously accommodate logically, economically and socially tion effect into the regional and national regional requirements. On the initiative viable regional development, based on political scene, on neighbouring regions of the administration, the decision was the requirements of the Mecklenburg- and other stakeholders may not be un- made not to develop the framework con- Schaalsee region; drafting the concept derestimated. Taking up this responsibility cept internally, in contrast to the special- should already contribute to solving the to benefit an entire region is a challenge ist plans which usually have been drafted upcoming tasks. The concept should for the administration of the biosphere for protected areas. The planning process not only be developed in a professional reserve, in cooperation with its partners. was to remain open as a Regional Agenda planning office but also in work groups,

Photo © Biosphärenreservat Schaalsee / Erhard Schade UNESCO 52 today 2|2007

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schaalsee

This biosphere reserve spans an area of the regional brand. For example six of 309 km²; it is located between the observation platforms for field observa- cities Hamburg, Lübeck and Schwerin. tions were constructed and more than It stretches around the Lake Schaalsee, 150 km of cycling and hiking paths were which spans 24 km². This landscape, with signposted and partly built afresh. The its many lakes and riparian forests and information centre ‘Pahlhuus’, hiking tours tightly networked, mosaic-type biotopes and excursions contribute to environ- was created by the forces of the ice age. mental education. Eighteen on-going The Schaalsee area was designated by monitoring projects serve to record the UNESCO in 2000. The variety of species, breeding activities of the white-tailed the huge beech groves and old tree-lined eagle and the cormorant or to control roads, the calcareous lakes, moors and the efficiency of extensive grasslands. marshes give this area a unique character.

Next to the exemplary establishment Further information: of a framework concept and the suc- http://www.schaalsee.de cessful development of the ‘Job-Motor Biosphere’ (featured in this journal), a focus is the promotion of environmen- Photo © Biosphärenreservat Schaalsee / tally friendly tourism under the umbrella Klaus Jarmatz

open to everyone. Citizens should have had prepared projects and these were to handle conflicts in the region was de- the opportunity of becoming involved in agreed upon via a dialogue forum, this veloped; the regional identity of the bio- all sorts of ways; their interests should committee made the decisions about sphere reserve Schaalsee was strength- be integrated into the regional objec- the projects. The working groups were ened; an open network of stakeholders tives by use of a ‘bottom up’ approach. headed by interested citizens; they met was established and communication and regularly and formed the activity focus cooperation strengthened; and honorary A circle of local moderators was estab- for developing the content and up-dat- work was encouraged. Another tangible lished to agree on compromises accept- ing the framework concept in future. success was the qualification as a self- able to everyone; external moderators contained region for the European Union were also hired. The administration of the The framework concept has a modular regional funding programme LEADER+. Schaalsee biosphere reserve set up a co- structure. The printed version is divided This programme is enabling ecological, ordination office. A specifically designed into three volumes, which are constantly economical and social projects to be model of involvement made it rather easy up-dated. The volume ‘Visions and Objec- carried out on a sound financial basis. to reach interested citizens, economic de- tives’ is the result of the cooperative dia- The integrated approach will also be used velopers, local stakeholders, associations logue with the local players. The volume in the case of the European Agricultural and members of parliament. As a result ‘Analysis of Status Quo’ lays out the legal Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). of the involvement model, the network and planning guidelines, lists ecological, of those responsible for the biosphere economical and social data and analyses reserve became a permanent fixture and strengths and weaknesses. The volume consensus building processes were en- ‘Action Plan/Project Overview’ contains couraged far beyond the drafting phase. recommendations for concrete meas- Klaus Jarmatz is head of the authority of the ures and characterises ongoing projects. Schaalsee biosphere reserve. The board of trustees for the Schaalsee This list of projects is constantly sup- biosphere reserve and the ‘regional plemented and documents the devel- Board’, founded in 2000, served as opment of the biosphere reserve. consultants for the process. The body in charge of the project was the ‘Steering Since then the visions and objectives for- Committee’ made up of representatives mulated in the Regional Agenda 21 proc- from the municipalities, the sponsor- ess have been the means to measure ing association ‘Biosphere Schaalsee the success of all regional activities and e.V.’, the heads of five thematic working projects. Yet, the process has been able groups and an official in charge of land to achieve much more: different regional use planning. When the working groups interests were harmonised and a culture 53

Johannes Treß A New Framework Concept for ‘Vessertal – Thüringen Forest’

Compiling and drafting locally consultative frameworks (hereafter framework concepts) is stipulated by the Seville Strategy and is a rigorous application criterion for new biosphere reserves in Germany. In one of the oldest German biosphere reserves, Vessertal – Thüringen Forest, a framework concept was finalised in January 2007.

It defines the major objectives of the • The standard and extent of public potential of saving energy by insulating biosphere reserve on the way to be- transport should be maintained, opti- buildings and installing modern heating coming a model region for sustainable mised and more strongly integrated plants should be taken advantage of. development. Its focus is on active, into the tourist offers. It should become competent support for the structural an attractive alternative to individual • In order to preserve the landscape, change taking place in the region, which motorised transport. Public transport the mountain grassland should be is a result of the demographic develop- systems should be better coordinated, preserved, current forest should be ment and that of climate change. the transport networks of road and converted to mixed forest and the typi- rail should be better inter-connected. cal overall appearance of the villages The public was substantially involved in should be reconstituted, with care. this process during the summer of 2006. • As a contribution to climate protection, The draft was displayed for the public in renewable energies should be encour- • The continuity of flowing waters 15 municipalities and was available on the aged in the biosphere reserve and the and the valley areas should be website of the biosphere reserve. Fifty statements were submitted in writing. The content was presented to the citi- Photo © Biosphärenreservat Vessertal-Thüringer Wald / K .-h . Bock zens in eleven information events, which also offered the opportunity for discussion. All in all, the framework concept was amended in over 100 points as a result of the involvement of the public.

Some core statements taken from the framework concept:

• Nature oriented silviculture should improve the stability and structure of forest stand in the long-term; the percentage of spruce should be reduced in favour of beech.

• Agriculture is the economic branch traditionally shaping the landscape. In order to preserve it, environmentally friendly, non-intensive production practices and the marketing of regional products should be further encouraged.

• Regionally adapted offers to tourists should make the region more attractive and contribute to tourists prolonging their stays. The biosphere reserve administration should be better integrated in the local tourist marketing. UNESCO 54 today 2|2007

improved. For example, piping Johannes Treß is head of the Administration or weirs should be eliminated or of the Vessertal – Thüringen Forest biosphere made to be more permeable. reserve. The framework concept of the biosphere • Moors play a role in preserving the reserve Vessertal – Thüringen Forest contains unique animal and plant life, thus 135 pages with 100 pictures and six maps as moor renaturing should continue. well as a CD-ROM with in-depth portrayals For that purpose dikes will be con- of the region. It can be ordered online at structed and spruces removed. www.biosphaerenreservat-vessertal.de at the price of 10 euros plus postage and packing costs. • Existing large undivided regions should be safeguarded to help preserve species which need large-scale habitats such as the red deer and the black stork.

• Public relation and environmental education activities will be improved. The focus is a new information centre at the Rennsteig Station run by a private operator and sponsor.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Utwe

Federated States of Micronesia

The Utwe biosphere reserve, which was reserve has an area of 17 km² but from its nearest neighbour. Despite designated as recently as 2005, is located nevertheless boasts a variety of eco- the isolation, even here the stock of in the southwest of the small volcanic systems like swamps and mangrove marine animals has been decimated. island of Kosrae in the South Pacific. forests, coral reefs and sea grass beds. The impressive giant clams as well While the interior of the island is rough as turtles, lobsters and types of coral and rugged, the coastal areas consist of Modern development and industry have are all threatened with extinction. lush tropical rain forests and white sandy scarcely touched Korsae as the island beaches. This rather small biosphere state is located 300 sea miles away Therefore conservation is the priority of this biosphere reserve. In the core area made up of mangroves and marine areas any use of natural resources is prohibited. The terrestrial buffer zone protects the core area against external pressures; this is also protected as a no-take zone. The people living in Utwe use the transition area for agricultural activities, fishing and tourism, which are the main sources of income. A plan for land use propagates sustainable economic systems in the transition area.

Further information: http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/ directory/biores.asp?mode=all&Code= MIC+01

Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Jim Spears 55

Eberhard Henne National Natural Landscapes

Communication project boosts biosphere reserves

In 2005 EUROPARC Deutschland, the umbrella organisation of the German protected areas initiated the project ’innovative communication strategies for protected areas’. As a result, the umbrella brand ‘National Natural Landscapes’ was introduced. It gives a new and common profile to the German national parks, biosphere reserves and nature parks in order to heighten the awareness of the public.

The German press usually refers to national parks when actually biosphere reserves are meant. This is always an- noying for the administration, whose time-consuming PR efforts simply appear to be in vain. The general public in Germany hardly ever actually uses the word biosphere reserve or does not pro- nounce it properly. A ‘biosphere reserve’ is for many just a cluster of letters.

EUROPARC Deutschland had commissioned a survey at the beginning of the project ‘innovative communication strategies’, which was carried out by the pres- tigious company Emnid. According to this survey, 88 percent of the German population consider protected areas to be important. 83 percent would even be prepared to make a financial contribution to them The biosphere reserve Schorfheide Chorin in the form of a nature tax. 71 percent Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: webinteger would like to spend their vacation in one of these regions. However, only 6 percent are aware of the differences between a national park, a biosphere reserve and a nature park. Most people do not know or the ’National Trust’ in England, all • The colour palette of the umbrella where these protected areas are situated. of them communicate their protected brand should re-emphasize the verbal Although the German protected areas areas worldwide under a well-known message. advertise using a range of well-designed logo – representing different protection information materials, more often than categories in parallel. Similarly, the most Involved in the discussions about the not they do not get through to the public. spectacular German landscapes, the core umbrella brand were the Federal Ministry The many different logos confuse and of the national natural heritage, should for the Environment, ministries of the hardly give the impression of a network. appear under a joint umbrella brand. federal states, heads of the protected areas, nature conservation associations, Because of these precise facts A first workshop in Berlin resulted in sponsoring agencies, foundations and the EUROPARC Deutschland, as the largest an agreement on the following basic association of German nature reserves. association of protected areas in Ger- principles for the umbrella brand: Already in this first workshop, it was many, initiated the above mentioned resolved that the umbrella brand was to communication project. The aim was to • Using a lively picture language, the be called ‘National Natural Landscapes’. develop an easily recognisable, mod- authenticity and the fascination of the ern umbrella brand for national parks, landscapes should be underlined. biosphere reserves and nature parks. To the point: The logo Many successful examples have been • Presenting harmony of nature, around for a long time abroad. Whether the materials produced with the The logo of the National Natural Land- ‘National Park Service‘ in the USA or umbrella brand should be in- scapes consists of two design elements: ‘Parcs Nationaux de France’ in France spiring for the beholder. a dot with three differently coloured UNESCO 56 today 2|2007

rings, allowing for various associations the National Natural Landscapes. The such as the arrival point on a map, a umbrella brand is to become a quality globe or the human eye. The second attribute for the German tourism indus- design element is a symbolic path try and establish itself in Germany’s to entice the viewer into the natural presentation to the rest of the world. environment on the photograph behind it. Both elements combined with Now it is the task of the individual friendly, light colours help give National protected areas to continue developing Natural Landscapes an inviting touch. their own profiles under the umbrella brand and to work out and portray the Despite the necessary uniformity of specific aspects of the respective certain design elements, equally im- categories (national park, biosphere portant was that each area should reserve and nature park) through qual- have its own PR appearance. This is ity projects. Across the categories, achieved by the multiplicity of possible EUROPARC Deutschland makes an colour combinations of the three-col- important contribution with projects like oured dot, which indicate the diversity ‘Volunteers in Parks’, the ‘Junior Rang- of nature. To assign an individual dot ers’ or the ‘Internship for the environ- for each German conservation reserve ment’, which is funded by the company was the goal. Today, over 100 dots have Commerzbank. An additional task for already been assigned; almost every each region is to work towards making German protected area has its own. the National Natural Landscapes, the particular category of protection and also Thus nature has a new name in the me- specific local features an experience on- The brand-new exposition on the dial landscape and a visual identity which site, both for inhabitants and for visitors. German UNESCO biosphere reserves is easy to communicate. It only took a sponsored by EUROPARC Deutschland short time for the umbrella brand to be is already using the new Corporate accepted and applied by most of the Model regions with a Design. The exhibition with around federal states. Within a year it was used global reputation 30 panels was displayed for the first for all types of promotional media from time in June 2007 at the occasion of large posters to stickers. A first study The biosphere reserves have taken up the 67th General Assembly of the carried out at the end of 2006 showed the challenge successfully, for example German Commission for UNESCO. that more than 4 million publications with with a new touring exhibition in the de- Photo © EUROPARC the new design elements were on the sign of the National Natural Landscapes. market. The umbrella brand was attract- The Potsdam Climate Conference on 8 ing a great deal of attention: While during November 2006, partnering with Honda 2005 only 6 percent of the population Europe North was also a good and ex- were aware of the differences between pandable example for raising awareness the different categories of protected ar- of the meaning of biosphere reserves eas, a recent survey showed that already and their capacities as model regions. over 30 percent knew about the umbrella The Potsdam Climate Conference will brand National Natural Landscapes. be followed up by similar conferences in future (the 2007 conference taking place on November 15). In the current discus- Together into the future sion on measures for avoiding climate change, the German biosphere reserves The degree of awareness has been are able to make a significant contribu- successfully increased, at least in a tion. Whether environmentally friendly first step. The German parliament has land-use methods, regional marketing or decided to support this subject: Fol- regional alternatives of renewable energy lowing a positive cross-party debate, a production – these are all activities of decision was made to generally support the German biosphere reserves which 57

directly relate to climate protection. the National Natural Landscapes which in educational activities for sustainable A successful communication strategy turn becomes easier to grasp for citizens. development are a significant contri- highlights these activities, backs them bution to the National Natural Land- up with examples thus sharpening their The subject of regional marketing plays a scapes. Biosphere reserves can be profile – and the reference to the National special role in some German biosphere examples for delivering the qualities of Natural Landscapes boosts the umbrella reserves. Some particularly advanced the National Natural Landscapes. The brand. The current topical status of examples are Schorfheide-Chorin, umbrella brand helps to heighten the climate change in politics is a productive Rhön and Schaalsee having sustainable awareness for biosphere reserves and challenge for the biosphere reserves. networks of primary producers, proces- makes them easier to appreciate. At sors, marketing companies and tourist the same time, the biosphere reserves The marketing strategy of the umbrella service providers. It could be assumed boost the National Natural Landscapes brand is, inter alia, focussed on tourism. that a regional approach using regional in Germany with their specific profile. In many biosphere reserves, environ- brands and the brand National Natu- mentally friendly tourism is an everyday ral Landscapes contradict each other. issue. Defining environmentally friendly Actually, the opposite is the case; these Dr. Eberhard Henne is the head of the and regionally adapted forms of tourism, initiatives can be interpreted as being biosphere reserve Schorfheide-Chorin and create attractive offers to be implement- good examples for sustainable econom- has been Head of the Board of EUROPARC ed with the regional tourism industry. ics in the National Natural Landscapes Deutschland since 2000. He was Minister for Thus another relationship to the National and used for the characterisation of the Environment of the federal state Branden- Natural Landscapes can be forged; the the category biosphere reserves. burg in 1998/99. qualities of biosphere reserves can be highlighted and consequently the Biosphere reserves are places for learn- category biosphere reserves strengthens ing sustainability. Their multifaceted

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin

Schorfheide-Chorin, designated by of the quality marks are farmers, food and services from the region under the UNESCO in 1990 is situated 75 km processing plants, caterers, hoteliers and quality mark with the logo of the reserve. northeast of Berlin and spans an area retailers. ‘Living off the land’: the unique of 1,292 km². The biosphere reserve has landscape is in this way associated with Further information: a richly structured landscape; habitats attractive tourist offers and the regional http://www.schorfheide-chorin.de are ice age moraines, outwash plains, product palette. This makes up the core forests, wealds, fens and lakes. There of the marketing strategy for products are few settlements so that numerous species of animals and plants Photo © Gertrud Hein are provided with a habitat. Organic farming preserves threatened agricultural crops such as old grain, potato, vegetable and fruit varieties and the produce is marketed in the region.

A regional brand, today developed onwards into the ‘quality mark’ of the biosphere reserve, is the result of a research project to reinforce regional economic processes. In 1998 it was developed as a regional certificate of origin for guaranteed healthy and sustainably produced products and services. It supports the regional value added and the nature conservation goals of the biosphere reserve, using the slogan ‘Natur setzt Zeichen’ (‘nature sending a signal’).

Awarding the quality mark is based on criteria such as regional origin, meeting quality standards and an environmentally- friendly production. Among the 85 users UNESCO 58 today 2|2007

Christine Kehl / Elke Baranek Information and Emotion

Creating a brand image for the Spreewald Water Edge Project

The protection of nature and resources plays a leading role in biosphere reserves. In the Spreewald biosphere reserve, the Spreewald Water Edge Project is the most important project. This major conservation project is supported within the framework of a programme of the Federal Ministry of the Environment with the objective of ensuring that large areas of natural or close-to natural landscapes of outstanding transregional importance are secured against risks on a permanent basis. This type of projects is often not well received by the local inhabitants. Thus public relations and image-building activities are all the more important.

The project is making 12,3 million euros Delivering information available to the Spreewald biosphere and creating an image reserve up to 2013. The measures taken will help to improve the capacity of the The approach can be compared to that landscape to store water, revitalise fen of marketing of brand products. What areas and to improve the living condi- epitomises a ‘brand’ is affected very tions of flowing water bodies. Examples: much by subjective impressions and perception of people. Unfortunately • To increase the structural diversity, the public perception of conservation seven large oxbow lakes have been projects is more often than not hardly reconnected and many smaller oxbow positive and conflicts are often in the lakes partly opened, water bodies foreground. Thus conservation projects have been desilted and natural bank are often plagued with image problems. structures encouraged. The project in the Spree Forest however shows that public relations do have an • To ease the migration of fish, over influence on public perception and that 50 barrages have been equipped with a positive image can be accomplished. ascent supports and obsolete water management constructions have been Image creation is very closely connected removed. Water bodies are enabled to the attributed identity of a product to flow again. or project. This identity is initially very sketchy and must first be developed. The • By holding back water and remodelling creation of an identity for the nature ditches, moors can be protected and conservation project in the Spree Forest revitalised. was stimulated by communication processes within the framework of the The onset of the project in the year 2000 moderation and participation procedure; was preceded by a heated discussion in by communication processes within the municipalities and among individual the strategy group, the internal deci- stakeholders in the biosphere reserve. sion-making body; by agreeing on rules This discussion led to the conclusion that of the game; by situation analysis; by participation and involvement of the com- specialist and regional working groups; munity is a prerequisite for the success by numerous information events for the The target groups of the project. Therefore the conservation general public and by press relations. are crucial project was accompanied by a procedure of moderation and delivery of compre- Measures for communication and infor- hensive information with the objective to mation must be embedded in an overall create a positive image for the Spreewald structure that continually examines the Water Edge Project. Professional support target groups: Who are we trying to reach was available to boost this public relations anyway? Suggestions for the ‘correct’ work right from the start. questions and structures are offered by marketing theories for brand products, for example, the ‘brand steering wheel’ 59

developed by Prof. Franz-Rudolf Esch of on precise project goals and measures the University of Giessen (cp. illustration). as well as an integration of the measures into an overall conservation concept. The analysis referring to the central ‘project competence’ focuses on the question which core competences the Conveying the benefits nature conservation project has? Positive aspects worth mentioning are that only transparently trans-regionally representative regions can profit from funding of the Federal The next step in the analysis concerns Government; that federal states have to the ‘benefits’, which target groups gain contribute and that the projects need to from the project’s ‘special features’. A be regionally embedded. A rather nega- much differentiated outlook is particularly tive aspect is the perception that such necessary in this case. The main benefit projects are above all initiated and sup- of the project is the stabilisation of the ported politically rather than economically. landscape in the Spree Forest. This is of significance for nature conservation ‘Special features’ of the Spreewald Water but also for land users. The conservation Edge Project are that its regional sponsor of rare animal and plant species is of is an administrative union of municipali- particular significance for conservation. ties, that it is planned for the long-term, is Economic value creation and impulses financially secure and organised in a par- for regional development are meaning- ticipatory manner. This results in transpar- ful across the board. With regard to that, ent decision-making processes, a focus political and economic alliances can be

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Spreewald

The Spreewald was designated by wetlands, riparian forests and extensive dissected by roads and offers numerous UNESCO as a biosphere reserve in 1991. wet meadows. The area spans 475 km² rare species of flora and fauna a habitat, It is situated one hundred kilometres and its character has, for centuries, been for example storks, otters or dragonflies. southeast of Berlin. It is a large inland stamped by human use in the form of delta of the River Spree and consists of small farmsteads distributed in a mosaic- An important objective of the biosphere meadows with a finely structured net- like pattern. Today, it still is to a large ex- reserve is to preserve forms of use work of small water channels, forests on tent in close touch with nature. It is hardly typical for this region. Agriculture as a sole source of income for the small farmsteads is no longer profitable against the backdrop of contemporary agricultural politics; therefore most of the homesteads, without external support, would have to be given up. The biosphere reserve is aiming at reliable and stable funding models for the farmers, for example via a foundation model, with the goal of preserving the cultural landscape.

Other focus issues of the biosphere reserve are the large-scale nature conservation projects for water reten- tion, for renaturing canals and land- improvement; in addition, there are considerable efforts in innovative environmental education using modern media and new nature-tourism offers.

Further information: http://www.mluv.brandenburg.de/cms/detail. Photo © Biosphärenreservat Spreewald php/lbm1.c.323683.de UNESCO 60 today 2|2007

established with stakeholders, who re- ‘Tonality’ and ‘picture’ the Spreewald Water Edge Project. These gard the nature conservation project from need to be experienced and have to be the point of view of contracting parties The communication of ‘core competen- visible – for example through choosing and investors. Apart from these functional cies’, ‘attributes’ and ‘benefits’ can only an individual communication structure benefits, the psychosocial benefit should succeed when it is clear how the project and a distinctive corporate design. In the not be underestimated. The project offers identity fits into the interaction context Water Edge Project, these elements and the opportunity to make a commitment, of the respective target groups. The at- formats were worked out early on and thereby making a mark in the region. tributes ‘authentic’, ‘cooperative’, ‘ability were pursued continually. The most im- to learn’, and ‘modern’ were chosen for portant identification mark is the logo for recognition of all information media. The burbot was chosen as a logo because this Full of Life fish has played an important role in the region and is, nowadays, threatened with UNESCO Biosphere Reserves – Model Re- extinction. The project’s website http:// gions for Sustainable Development www.grps.info is a central communication element, because of the unequalled This English language volume of 180 access possibilities and the topicality of pages published in 2005 by the German the information. Furthermore, exhibition MAB National Committee represents and information leaflets were created to another up-to-date overview of the MAB present and explain individual measures; Programme in Germany. the resulting feedback was substantial.

Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, In summary, it can be said that effec- ISBN: 3-540-20077-0 tive communication demands a concept regarding its content and design, a clear profile and a clear sender. The instruments and media applied require continuity and must be adapted to specific situations and requirements. The experiences of the Spreewald Water Edge Project show that communication under these circumstances can contribute to the creation of a positive image for nature conservation.

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5MGESTALTUNGVON'RËBEN nagement-team of the Spreewald Water Edge YHU|IIHQWOLFKW PLW *HQHKPLJXQJ GHU /DQGHVYHUPHVVXQJ XQG *HRGDWHQEDVLV 7INTERàBERmUTUNGSmËCHEN GHV /DQGHV %UDQGHQEXUJ Project since 2001. She has a PhD in Biology 1U *% and a Diploma in Financial Management.

Elke Baranek works as a freelance modera- tor and has been a scientific assistant at the Literature Technical University Berlin since 2002. She has a Diploma in Landscape Architecture and Baranek, E.; Günther, B.; Kehl, C. (2005): Esch, F.-R. (2005): Strategie und Technik der Mar- a PhD in Agricultural Marketing. Moderation Procedure in the Water Edge Project. kenführung, 3. Aufl., Verlag Franz Vahlen, München In: German MAB National Committee (Ed.) (2005). Kehl, C. (2005): Das Gewässerrandstreifenprojekt Full of Life. UNESCO biosphere reserves – Model Spreewald: Ein Projekt für Mensch und Natur. In: regions for sustainable development. Berlin Umweltpanorama, Heft 7, Berliner Umweltagentur Heidelberg, pp.136-138. Further information: www.grps.infow 61

Rainer Mönke Nature Conservation Creating Employment

‘Job-Motor Biosphere’ in the UNESCO biosphere reserve Schaalsee

The Job-Motor Biosphere is a joint initia- created in nature reserves. The Job-Mo- tive of the authority of the biosphere tor Biosphere in the Schaalsee biosphere reserve Schaalsee and the sponsoring reserve not only sends out signals to agency ‘Förderverein Biosphere Schaal- the labour market but also contributes see e.V.’ as well as the Federal Employ- significantly to regional development ment Office. The objective of the initiative and enables the biosphere reserve to is to promote start-up companies and develop its own identity. Recently the sideline income in line with the philoso- Job-Motor Biosphere has increasingly phy of the biosphere reserve. The idea developed business partnerships and was born in the mid-nineties; the first strengthened existing networks. Thus concrete step was taken in the form of it has significantly contributed to the a brain-storming session in Roggendorf success of the local brand ‘Schaalsee in northwest Mecklenburg in 1998. All Biosphere Reserve – for Body and Soul’. relevant stakeholders from the region, including local politicians, companies and This pilot project for creating functioning farmers and even artists got together in small businesses in the biosphere- an animated ‘round table’ discussion. Photo © Gertrud Hein reserve region was soon taken up in other reserves in Mecklenburg-Western This exchange of ideas resulted in the The second event of this type took place Pomerania, for example in the biosphere initiation of very diverse projects for the in March 1999; this time representatives reserve South-East Rügen and in the regional development of the reserve. In of the Federal Association of the Small Müritz region. order to ensure quality standards for the and Medium-Sized Businesses as well astonishing number of business start-ups, as the Ministry of Economics were also The framework conditions for the the Job-Motor Biosphere came to life. It included on the advisory board. Thirteen promotion of job creation have changed was inaugurated in August 1998 on a day projects were selected from a wide throughout Germany since 2003. This dedicated to business start-ups, which range of areas, which were supported by has made it necessary to integrate the took place in the information centre of a two-phase model during their start-up activities of the Job Motor-Biosphere into the biosphere reserve, the ‘Pahlhuus’. phase: A three month educational phase the coordination project ‘ProReg-MV’, run Around 80 potential candidates for start- in business administration and issues by the association for the promotion of up businesses presented their ideas and concerning the reserve was carried out the integration of Mecklenburg-Western received answers to their questions from by the Advanced Training Academy for Pomerania in the civil society of the EU, the newly founded advisory board of the Economics GmbH in Ratzeburg, the ‘EuroReg e.V.’. This amended organisa- Job-Motor Biosphere, comprising of com- institute for Networked Environmental tional structure by no means reduces petent representatives from the employ- Planning in Pinnow and both the authority the active participation of the biosphere ment offices Hagenow and Gadebusch, and the sponsoring agency of the bio- reserve and its sponsoring society and the local savings bank Ludwigslust, the sphere reserve. A subsequent six-month does not affect the continuing success Chamber of Crafts and the Chamber of coaching phase served to ensure the suc- of the project in promoting start-up Commerce and Industry Schwerin, a cess of the planned start-up companies. companies in the biosphere reserve. state health insurance company and the association for promoting businesses The approach of the project Job-Motor- Ludwigslust. While aimed at supporting Biosphere was successful and was con- Rainer Mönke is responsible for basic people in setting up their own compa- sistently copied. By April 2003, the fifth principles and international projects at the nies, the event also established important ‘business start-up day’ had taken place authority of the Schaalsee biosphere reserve. contacts amongst all those participating. in Zarrentin. Within five years, 29 start-up The patron of this ‘business start-up companies were established creating a day’ was Dr. Till Backhaus, then Minis- total of 50 permanent jobs, most notice- ter of Fishing, Agriculture, and Forestry ably in the area of sustainable services, of Mecklenburg-Western-Pomerania. proving that jobs based on respect for the basic principles of ecology, can be UNESCO 62 today 2|2007

Marcus Lämmle Changes Lead to New Perspectives

The Swabian Alb prepares its application as a UNESCO biosphere reserve

The expected designation as a biosphere reserve represents a great opportunity for managing the structural change in the Swabian Alb region. This article portrays the eager preparations, which have been going on in preparation for the application to UNESCO in 2007.

The German Federal Government an- The federal state Baden-Württemberg process and the legal preparations at the nounced the closure of the Federal faced up to its responsibility to help federal state level will very soon be Armed Forces location in Münsingen, accomplish the necessary structural finished successfully. Swabian Alb in 2001. At first only the changes in the region, particularly in the Herzog-Albrecht barracks were men- town of Münsingen, a small town made tioned, however, at the beginning of up of 13 sub-municipalities with around From the first demarcation draft 2002 it appeared that the military training 14,000 inhabitants. Prime Minister ground ‘Gutsbezirk Münsingen’ and the Günther H. Oettinger repeatedly declared to the current regional setting ‘Alter Lager’, a collection of over 130 his government’s intention of initiating In July 2005 the district of Reutlingen mostly listed buildings were also to be a ‘biosphere region’ – such is the term submitted an initial demarcation draft vacated by the end of 2005. This former used in the federal state’s Nature Conser- to become a biosphere region. To save training ground is one of the largest un- vation Act – around the former military time, the discussion was initially based divided areas in the federal state Baden- training ground. Right from the start, on the demarcations of the towns of Württemberg. The region is rich with the clear objective of all municipalities Bad Urach and Münsingen, the municipal- nature and has a unique landscape. It involved was the designation of the ity of Römerstein and the independent was therefore registered, in its entirety, biosphere region as a biosphere reserve Gutsbezirk Münsingen; further municipali- for acceptance to the European network by UNESCO’s ‘Man and the Biosphere’ ties were not considered. Within the set- of protected areas ‘Natura 2000’. (MAB) programme. The demarcation ting of this initial demarcation draft, areas had to be identified as being suitable for Photo © Kurt Schlünkes core area or buffer zone. Even then it appeared realistic that the minimum area of 30,000 hectares could be exceeded due to the willingness of bordering municipalities to come on board.

A significant prerequisite for the acceptance of the idea of establishing a biosphere region in the district of Reutlingen were the impulses given by the ‘federal state project for the preservation and development of nature and environment’ (PLENUM) and by the programme ‘active regions’. Since April 2001 around 300 projects for sustainable, regional development were realised with the help of 8,7 million euros of funding from PLENUM and ‘active regions’; 77 of these projects were in the low-impact tourism sector. Numerous product and marketing innovations are nowadays well- known, at least in Baden-Württemberg. These projects pave the way towards showing the region that nature conservation is worthwhile, both for individuals and for communities. At the same time the 63

region’s efforts with regard to sustainable The decision to utilise this structure The first demarcation draft was mainly development aim to achieve outstanding was, in retrospect, fully appropriate. based on factors of nature conserva- and long-term results for nature and the To include all stakeholders at the ap- tion. The elaboration was carried out by environment; the extent of the fixed-term propriate level into the governance the Regierungspräsidium Tübingen. The funding depends on just these outcomes. structure contributed significantly to demarcation and zoning was thoroughly the enormous degree of acceptance discussed with many municipalities It was clear right from the start that the of demarcating the biosphere region. located outside of the area of the first biosphere region could only be developed draft. The opportunities arising from a successfully if the greatest possible Another fully appropriate decision, in reasonable demarcation of the transi- transparency prevailed and all stake- retrospect, was the decision to be tion area for all those concerned were holders could be successfully involved. physically present in the biosphere region stressed then. The municipalities con- The ministry responsible, the Ministry early on. In June 2006 a ‘start-team’ was cerned had to weigh this up with regard for Food and Rural Development of established for that purpose, a highly to the demand of the federal state that Baden-Württemberg, therefore opted motivated group of six representatives they have to cover 30 percent of most for a three-level governance structure: from the Regierungspräsidium Tübingen, costs as from the year 2011. All the the district office of Reutlingen as well as municipalities and districts agreed on • The ‘operational working group’ in the Federal Agency for Property Issues, the principle of an allocation formula. which the local stakeholders play the owner of the former military train- a role is located at the Regierungs ing ground. The start-team keeps up the The planned biosphere region Swabian präsidium (governmental entity in dialogue with all those involved in the Alb now spans a total area of 80,000 charge of several districts) Tübingen. biosphere region and all those who want hectares – a considerable size. It reaches to become actively involved. The current across 28 municipalities in the three • The ‘permanent advisory board’ headed focus is on the preparation of the appli- districts of Reutlingen, Alb-Donau-Kreis by Minister Peter Hauk enables an cation to UNESCO, on the creation of a and Esslingen and the two administra- effective exchange between nature network of information centres and tive districts Tübingen and Stuttgart as protection associations, farming asso on the establishment of a website. well as the independent Gutsbezirk ciations, the Chamber of Industry and The initial scepticism of many of those Münsingen. Of this total area about Commerce Reutlingen and the regional involved – from the local authorities 3,2 percent make up the core area. It associations. as well as from economy – was soon comprises of slope and canyon forests, replaced by a growing interest. Now which are no longer used in any way and • The ‘steering committee’, headed by these very stakeholders have under- have been allowed to develop naturally. the official of the Ministry for Food and stood that demonstrating commitment The towns and municipalities contribute Rural Development in charge makes for a future UNESCO biosphere reserve to the core area with 1,000 hectares functional decisions and prepares could represent a great opportunity. of municipal forest-land. In this way political decisions. the UNESCO criterion of a minimum of UNESCO 64 today 2|2007

3 percent of core area is fulfilled. The cation concept for this network will be With the decision to become a UNESCO core areas are enclosed by buffer zones, developed including made-to-measure so- biosphere reserve, the Swabian Alb took which account for 37 percent of the lutions with individual focuses; additional up the opportunity of developing into a planned biosphere region. The transi- information measures are also planned. pioneer region and playing high up in tion areas make up around 60 percent. the ‘champions league’ of cultural What happens next? landscapes. To the public authorities, In December 2006, the steering com- sustainability means putting all decisions mittee agreed to the demarcation and The Council of Ministers of Baden- to the ecological test. Independent of the zoning. The text of the governmental Württemberg approved the demarcation scientific verdict on the demarcation and decree, which was developed in an ex- and zoning of the region, the financial the zoning of the region, just the debate emplary participatory manner is virtually framework and the draft decree at the on the subject of sustainability should completed today. The decree was drafted end of April 2007. The draft will be sub- have a positive effect on this region taking into account the suggestions, mitted for the official hearing so that mid-term. For many of those concerned, ideas, and doubts of all the municipali- the decree can be passed in autumn at it may not always be easy to personally ties and associations concerned. the latest. Only then will the biosphere relate to all principles and specifications region Swabian Alb really exist. This of a biosphere region, or rather – de- The steering committee also decided is a significant prerequisite for further pending on the hoped-for designation by on a location for an administrative and steps, ranging from making the neces- UNESCO – a biosphere reserve. Anyhow, information centre. It is to be located at sary arrangements for the administration time has come to fill them with life. the military training ground Münsingen in and information centre to the upcoming Alter Lager in two of the listed buildings. personnel decisions. Furthermore the Marcus Lämmle is Deputy Head of the This administrative and information cen- application to UNESCO for designation Department for Basic Principles of Nature tre should incorporate a network of all the as a biosphere reserve has to be worked Conservation at the Ministry for Food and existing contact points, for example the out. Dependent on the way that those Rural Development of the federal state of nature protection centre Schopfloch, the bodies involved work, the designation Baden-Württemberg. Federal State stud Marbach, Bad Urach by UNESCO should be possible by the Further information: and the centre for environmental educa- end of 2008, in 2009 at the latest. http://www.biosphärengebiet-alb.de tion Listhof in Reutlingen. A communi-

How can a Biosphere Reserve in Darfur Save the Remaining Wildlife?

The biosphere reserve Radom is situated ern Sudan in 2005 and the Darfur-crisis, Radom inhabitable very soon. For in- in the south of the crisis region Darfur in hundreds of thousands of people were stance, it is high time to inform the Sudan, close to the border of the autono- left homeless. This resulted in a rapid in- inhabitants to disband certain settle- mous Southern Sudan and the Central crease in population in Radom due to the ments and to improve the infrastructure. African Republic. Since the rebellion in fertile land there. Illegal settlement and 2003, especially West Darfur has been cultivation was a result. The new settlers the scene of cruel and scarcely manage- compete with the traditional nomad- able hostilities. Within the context of this tribes in the region for water and land. Detailed Information is provided in an article difficult situation young scientists in Ra- Exploitation of the land and firewood fell- in the magazine „A World of Science“ (Vol.5, No.2) released by UNESCO’s sector for ing increase the danger of desertification. dom have spent three years carrying out Natural Sciences, www.unesco.org/science/ comprehensive research work with the edito_en19.shtml. help of the ‘Young Scientist Award’ grant- These factors put a burden on flora and ed by the MAB programme. The goal of fauna. Additionally illegal arms dealing these studies was to record the status of and the lack of controls lead to an in- the ecosystems, of the flora and fauna as crease in poaching. The stock of big game well as the socio-economic development is greatly depleted; elephants, the white of the park. Based on that data, recom- rhinoceros and buffalos have disappeared. mendations for the government authorities were compiled and regulations draft- The study makes it quite clear that reed to improve the management of the search in biosphere reserves goes much park and to involve the local inhabitants. further than nature conservation alone. The recommendations of the research This study represents a detailed analysis team aim to end activities, which have Gamekeepers in the Radom biosphere of the manifold problems of the region. not only resulted in the wiping out of reserve After the end of the civil war in South- wild animals but, if continued, will make Photo © Wildlife Research Centre in Sudan 65

Hubert Farke / Peter Südbeck Biosphere Reserve – National Park – World Heritage Site

The Wadden Sea has a lot to offer

Biosphere reserve, national park, world heritage site – three prominent seals for only one habitat. Can this collection of seals be sensibly animated or does it remain a heap of labels without content? It is indisputable that the Wadden Sea is an exceptionally special area, land nor sea, one of the last intact nature landscapes in Europe. Its geomorphic genesis as a highly dynamic post ice-age type of landscape and its biological structures and ecological functions are unique worldwide. The latter have impacts far beyond the Wadden Sea. Many of the fish breeding here later colonise the North Sea. The Wadden Sea also has worldwide significance as an indispensable stepping stone for migrating birds.

The German federal states neighbouring the Wadden Sea, i.e. Lower Saxony, Hamburg, and Schleswig-Holstein, declared it as a national park 20 years ago. This was a significant step forward for the preservation of the area. In this way, the three federal states confirmed their will to preserve the original nature of this habitat by law. Thus they also made a significant contribution to the international protection of the Wadden Sea, which has been agreed upon by the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark and is coordinated and further developed by First steps in establishing a regular intergovernmental conferences. transition area

Ecosystem research in the Wadden Sea area

Against the background of the network Photo © Archiv NPA Stock project ‘Ecosystem research in the Wad- den Sea Area’, carried out by the Federal of the Schleswig-Holstein and Lower den Sea in form of a transition area. The Government together with Schleswig- Saxony national park law (1999, resp. application for extension was accepted Holstein and Lower Saxony (1989-1999), 2001). The identity of the biosphere and welcomed by UNESCO in 2004. the Wadden Sea national parks were reserve and the national park, in relation designated as biosphere reserves within to size and zoning, remained unchanged. the framework of the programme ‘Man The Wadden Sea biosphere reserves Evaluation of the and the Biosphere’ in the early nineties. exhibit large core areas and buffer zones. biosphere reserve The goal of the network project was, Transition areas, which, because of their next to the investigation of ecological function, would have to be situated There are also numerous initiatives and correlations, to describe the man-environ- outside the national parks, are still largely projects in the Wadden Sea area of Lower ment relations in the Wadden Sea area non-existent. This circumstance was a Saxony, which deal with sustainable in more detail and to develop recom- significant point for criticism at the time forms of economic activity, especially mendations for further development of the 10 year evaluation, which was car- tourism and agriculture. The 2004 evalu- of the protection concepts as well as ried out for the Wadden Sea biosphere ation showed that this local and partly a sustainable management scheme. reserves in 2004/2005. A first step to regional development corresponded to make up for the deficit was made when the activities expected in a UNESCO bio- The results of the network project have the Hallig Islands decided to join the biosphere reserve and that the integration of been integrated into the revised version sphere reserve Schleswig-Holstein Wad- a transition area in the biosphere reserve, UNESCO 66 today 2|2007

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Wadden Sea of Hamburg

The biosphere reserve Wadden Sea of The biosphere reserve encourages ex- Hamburg, which was designated by tensive field and grassland cultivation in UNESCO in 1992, is, at the same time, order to preserve the small-scale farm- a National Park. The area comprises of ing structures in the ‘binnengroden’. This the Wadden Sea surrounding the estu- also has the advantage of successfully ary of the Elbe River. Of the total area of protecting the stock of grassland birds. 117 km², 105 km² is core area, the rest is Numerous solar plants, thermal collec- buffer zone. Representative ecosystems tors as well as photovoltaics sustainably are the Wadden Sea, tide-ways, dune provide energy. In the future, a particular islands, dunes, salt marshes and ’binnen energy concept will make it possible groden‘, which are marshes behind dikes to largely supply the biosphere reserve usable for farming. The Elbe estuary is with renewable energy. Environmen- a rich source of nutrients and boasts a tal monitoring is an integral part of the diverse world of fish and birds. There work of the biosphere reserve within are only around 40 inhabitants of the the framework of the transboundary Hamburg Wadden Sea, namely on the Wadden Sea Monitoring, and in coope- island of Neuwerk. The biosphere reserve ration with the Wadden Sea biosphere Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Libriator protects the natural dynamics in the habi- reserves and national parks in Lower Further information: tat Wadden Sea, based on the European Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. http://www.nationalpark-hamburgisches- Union’s Habitats and Birds Directives. wattenmeer.de/

as a model region for sustainable eco- towards a nomination for inscription in the preservation of the natural range of nomical activities, could only be of advan- UNESCO’s list of cultural and natural species, the natural functions and the tage for all concerned. In 2006 the admin- world heritage sites. After comprehensive landscape picture of the Wadden Sea as istration of the biosphere reserve devised preparations and intensive discussions a nationally significant nature landscape. the necessary organisational preparations with the population, the German and The designation as a world heritage site and initiated discussions with the coastal Dutch Governments decided to prepare raises this significance from the national communities, umbrella associations and the application in 2005. Although around to the global level and acknowledges individual initiatives. The discussions 10 percent of the Wadden Sea area is the Wadden Sea as being a worldwide resulted in a great deal of interest on the Danish, Denmark has not been involved unique and, to a large extent, untouched part of these target groups. Next to sup- in the application process because of the area, whose structures and functions port with moderation, the administration negative result of a vote by the Danish have to be preserved; that task is then ac- of the biosphere reserve sees its main people from the coastal region. The draft knowledged to be of global significance. task in the transregional coordination prepared by Germany and the Nether- and realisation of sustainable projects. In lands was expected to pass through the Compared to the designation as a na- order to comply with the requirements public discussion process in summer tional park, the recognition as a world her- as a model region, a further goal is the 2007. UNESCO will make a decision itage site does not represent a new or ex- transfer of findings and methods in about the inscription in the world heritage tended protection category. The existing bordering regions. In the meantime the list, as the case may be, in 2009 or 2010. national park legislation is enough for ful- development of a transition zone in the filling the strict requirements of UNESCO biosphere reserve Wadden Sea of Lower National park – biosphere reserve – world with regard to the protection of the areas. Saxony has made significant progress. heritage site Wadden Sea: these seals In a nutshell, the designation as a world are not just labels, which are stuck onto heritage site is a paramount title. How- one and the same thing. This is reflected ever it comes hand in hand with the re- Nomination for the just by the very complex application and sponsibility, to secure the Wadden Sea as world heritage list admission procedures. The seals are a common heritage of man for the future. rather awards and responsibilities, each The uniqueness of the Wadden Sea lies having a value of its own. They each in the pureness of its nature, in the highly require a different focus for the manage- Preservation and use by people dynamic and unique landscapes resulting ment of the region. They also compliment from the changes in sea-level and in its each other in many ways. One thing that While in the case of the national park transregional ecological significance. This all three seals have in common is the fact and the world heritage site the preserva- is why during the sixth Trilateral Govern- that the preservation of the ecosystem tion of the natural habitat, its range of mental Conference on the Protection of and the exceptional natural landscape is species and its functions are central, the Wadden Sea, it was decided to work central. The goal of the national parks is the concept of the biosphere reserve 67

also includes the use by people. The The aspects which challenge the Wadden goal of the biosphere reserve is to Wadden Sea region has been populated Sea region to provide protection and re- guarantee sustainable development. for centuries and the Wadden Sea has gional development on a sustainable ba- always been used by people: in the sis are: the future developments of coast- National park, biosphere reserve, and main, however, the forces of nature al protection with rising sea levels, the world heritage site are approaches which only allowed for a non-extensive use. ongoing economic changes, the growing are built upon each other and compli- importance of tourism particularly the ment each other; they highlight the The building of dikes has, in fact, shaped wish to ‘experience nature’, the develop- excellent standing of the Wadden Sea the transition between land and sea ment of ports and shipping along with the and preserve this landscape in its original by human hand. The Wadden Sea itself development of renewable energies . purity while simultaneously making a has, however, not been influenced holistic development approach possible. in its integrity. The protection of the The MAB programme and the biosphere people living in the Wadden Sea region reserve follow an integrated approach is beyond all question, in the same and as such, promise to be successful, way as their right to work and to make as the welfare of the region is depend- Dr. Hubert Farke is responsible for the a living. Therefore coastal protection ent on the combination of many fac- biosphere reserve at the administration of the measures and economic use are inte- tors: intact nature as a basis for quality National Park Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony. grated into the protection concept. of life and attractive offers for tourists, Peter Südbeck is head of the administration fishing and agriculture, the retail busi- of the National Park Wadden Sea of Lower ness and also job opportunities. The Saxony.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony

This biosphere reserve, which was biosphere reserve is situated facing the few, specialised animal species such as designated by UNESCO in 1992, spans sea side of the dike sluice up to the East seals and birds live there; these, howev- 2,400 km² along the Lower Saxony North Frisian Islands, between the Rivers Ems er, in large numbers. Next to the mudflats Sea coast. The bulk of the area is made and Elbe. The tide dynamics of the Wad- further habitats such as salt marshes, up of core area and buffer zone, which den Sea create extreme living conditions, sand dunes and dune islands exist. also represents the national park. The which change twice daily. Thus only a With only one inhabitant, at the ornitho- logical station on the island of Memmert, the Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony is the German biosphere reserve with the smallest population. After a decision by the cabinet of the federal state in 2005, the possibility of an extended transition area is being discussed on-site.

Nevertheless the coastal area is an area of economic activity for the people. Yet, the agricultural areas today are used more and more environmentally friendly. On 66 percent of the salt marshes in the core area and buffer zone, cultivation has been abandoned and compensation offered to the farmers. The Wadden Sea has also been a recreation area for more than 150 years; the visitors are informed of the significance of protection through information boards along the nature paths and in leaflets.

Further information: http://www.nationalpark-wattenmeer. niedersachsen.de Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Schoschie UNESCO 68 today 2|2007

The World Network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves The List

The International Co-ordinating Council (ICC) of the MAB programme and its ‘Bureau’ are responsible for adding new areas to the World Network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as well as giving approval to extensions or other modifications. During its most recent meeting from 18 to 20 September 2007 in Paris, the Bureau of the ICC added 23 new biosphere reserves to its global network. As Germany had filed the proposition for removing the Bayrischer Wald biosphere reserve from the list, the world network today numbers 529 reserves sites in 105 countries. The following list was last updated at the end of September 2007.

Ô Algeria Ô Australia Lobau, 1977 Tassili N’Ajjer, 1986 Croajingolong, 1977 Neusiedler See, 1977 El Kala, 1990 Kosciuszko, 1977 Großes Walsertal, 2000 Djurdjura, 1997 Macquarie Island, 1977 Wienerwald, 2005 Chrea, 2002 Prince Regent River, 1977 Ô Belarus Taza, 2004 Unnamed, 1977 Berezinskiy, 1978 Gouraya, 2004 Uluru (Ayers Rock-Mount Olga), 1977 Belovezhskaya Pushcha, 1993 Yathong, 1977 Pribuzhskoye Polesie, 2004 Ô Argentina Fitzgerald River, 1977 San Guillermo, 1980 Hattah-Kulkyne and Murray Kulkyne, 1981 Ô Benin Laguna Blanca, 1982 Wilson’s Promontory, 1981 Pendjari,1986 Costero del Sur, 1984 Riverland, 1977 (originally Danggali W-Region (cp. Benin/Burkina Faso/Niger – Ñacuñán, 1986 Conservation Park; extended and re- transboundary) Pozuelos, 1990 named Bookmark in 1995; renamed as Riverland in 2004) Yabotí, 1995 Ô Benin/Burkina Faso/Niger – Morningon Peninsula and Mar Chiquita, 1996 transboundary Delta del Paraná, 2000 Western Port, 2002 Barkindji, 2005 W-Region, 2002 (established in Niger in Riacho Teuquito, 2001 1996, extensions in Benin and Noosa, 2007 Laguna Oca del Río Paraguay, 2001 Burkina Faso in 2002) Las Yungas, 2002 Ô Austria Andino Norpatagonica, 2007 Ô Bolivia Gossenköllesee, 1977 Pereyra Iraola, 2007 Pilón-Lajas, 1977 Gurgler Kamm, 1977 Ulla Ulla, 1977 Beni, 1986

Ô Brazil Georgian Bay Littoral, 2004 Ô Congo Mata Atlântica (including Sao Paulo Fundy, 2007 Odzala, 1977 Green Belt), 1993 (extension 2002) Manicouagan Uapishka, 2007 Dimonika, 1988 Cerrado, 1993 (extension 2000/2001) Ô Pantanal, 2000 Central African Republic Ô Democratic Republic of Caatinga, 2001 Basse-Lobaye, 1977 Congo Central Amazon, 2001 Bamingui-Bangoran, 1979 Yangambi, 1976 Espinhaço Range, 2005 Luki, 1976 Ô Chile Lufira, 1982 Ô Bulgaria Fray Jorge, 1977 Steneto, 1977 Juan Fernández, 1977 Ô Costa Rica Alibotouch, 1977 Torres del Paine, 1978 La Amistad, 1982 Bistrichko Branichté, 1977 Laguna San Rafael, 1979 Cordillera Volcánica Central, 1988 Boitine, 1977 Lauca, 1981 Agua y Paz, 2007 Djendema, 1977 Araucarias, 1983 Ô Doupkata, 1977 La Campana-Peñuelas, 1984 Côte d’Ivoire Doupki-Djindjiritza, 1977 Cabo de Hornos, 2005 Taï, 1977 Kamtchia, 1977 Bosques Templados Lluviosos de Comoé, 1983 los Andes Australes, 2007 Koupena, 1977 Ô Croatia Mantaritza, 1977 Ô China Velebit Mountain, 1977 Ouzounboudjak, 1977 Changbaishan, 1979 Parangalitza, 1977 Dinghushan, 1979 Ô Cuba Srébarna, 1977 Wolong, 1979 Sierra del Rosario, 1984 Tchervenata Sténa, 1977 Fanjingshan, 1986 Cuchillas del Toa, 1987 Tchoupréné, 1977 Xilin Gol, 1987 Península de Guanahacabibes, 1987 Tsaritchina, 1977 Wuyishan, 1987 Baconao, 1987 Ô Burkina Faso Bogeda, 1990 Ciénaga de Zapata, 2000 Shennongjia, 1990 Buenavista, 2000 Mare aux hippopotames, 1986 Yancheng, 1992 W-Region (cp. Benin/Burkina Faso/ Ô Czech Republic Niger – transboundary) Xishuangbanna, 1993 Maolan, 1996 Krivoklátsko, 1977 Ô Cambodia Tianmushan, 1996 Trebon Basin, 1977 Tonle Sap, 1997 Fenglin, 1997 Lower Morava, 2003 (established Jiuzhaigou Valley, 1997 as Palava 1986; extended and renamed in 2003) Ô Cameroon Nanji Islands, 1998 Sumava, 1990 Waza, 1979 Shankou Mangroves, 2000 Bílé Karpathy, 1996 Benoué, 1981 Baishuijiang, 2000 Krkokonose (cp. Czech Republic/ Dja, 1981 Gaoligong Mountain, 2000 Poland – transboundary) Huanglong, 2000 Ô Canada Baotianman, 2001 Ô Czech Republic/Poland – Mont Saint Hilaire, 1978 Saihan Wula, 2001 transboundary Waterton, 1979 Dalai Lake, 2002 Krkokonose/Karkonosze, 1992 Long Point, 1986 Wudalianchi, 2003 Riding Mountain, 1986 Yading, 2003 Ô Denmark Charlevoix, 1988 Foping, 2004 North-East Greenland, 1977 Niagara Escarpment, 1990 Qomolangma, 2004 Clayoquot Sound, 2000 Chebaling, 2007 Ô Dominican Republic Redberry Lake, 2000 Xingkai Lake, 2007 Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo, 2002 Lac Saint-Pierre, 2000 Mount Arrowsmith, 2000 Ô Colombia Ô Ecuador South West Nova, 2001 Cinturón Andino, 1979 Archipiélago de Colón (Galápagos), 1984 Thousand Islands – Frontenac El Tuparro, 1979 Yasuni, 1989 Arch, 2002 (extension 2007) Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, 1979 Sumaco, 2000 (extension 2002) Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, 2000 Podocarpus-El Condor, 2007 Seaflower, 2000 UNESCO 70 today 2|2007

Ô Egypt Ô Gabun Badiar, 2002 Omayed, 1981 (extension 1998) Ipassa-Makokou, 1983 Haut Niger, 2002 Wadi Allaqi, 1993 Ô Germany Ô Guinea-Bissau Ô El Salvador Flusslandschaft Elbe, 1979 Boloma Bijagós, 1996 Apaneca-Llamatepec, 2007 (extension 1997) Ô Honduras Xiriualtique Jiquitizco, 2007 Vessertal-Thüringen Forest, 1979 (extension 1987/1990) Río Plátano, 1980 Ô Estonia Berchtesgaden Alps, 1990 Ô Hungary West Estonian Archipelago, 1990 Wadden Sea and Hallig Islands of Schleswig-Holstein, 1990 Aggtelek, 1979 Ô Finland (extended and renamed in 2004) Hortobágy, 1979 North Karelian, 1992 Schorfheide-Chorin, 1990 Kiskunság, 1979 Archipelago Sea Area, 1994 Spreewald, 1991 Lake Fertö, 1979 South-East Rügen, 1991 Pilis, 1980 Ô France Rhön, 1991 Ô Commune de Fakarava, 1977 (Atoll de Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony, 1992 India Taiaro, extended and renamed in 2006) Wadden Sea of Hamburg, 1992 Nilgiri, 2000 Vallée du Fango, 1977 (extension 1990) Upper Lausitz Heath and Gulf of Mannar, 2001 Camargue (delta du Rhône), 1977 Pond Landscape, 1996 Sunderban, 2001 (Camargue, extended and Schaalsee, 2000 Nanda Devi, 2004 renamed in 2006) Pfälzerwald/Vosges du Nord (cp. Cevennes, 1984 France/Germany – transboundary) Ô Indonesia Iroise, 1988 Cibodas, 1977 Mont Ventoux, 1990 Ô Ghana Komodo, 1977 Archipel de la Guadeloupe, 1992 Bia, 1983 Lore Lindu, 1977 Luberon, 1997 Tanjung Puting, 1977 Pays de Fontainebleau, 1998 Ô Greece Gunung Leuser, 1981 Pfälzerwald/Vosges du Nord (cp. Gorge of Samaria, 1981 Siberut, 1981 France/Germany – transboundary) Olymp, 1981 Ô Islamic Republic of Iran Ô France/Germany – Ô Guatemala Arasbaran, 1976 transboundary Maya, 1990 Arjan, 1976 Pfälzerwald/Vosges du Nord, 1998 Sierra de las Minas, 1992 Geno, 1976 (Vosges du Nord established in Golestan, 1976 Ô 1988 and Pfälzerwald in 1992) Guinea Hara, 1976 Mont Nimba, 1980 Kavir, 1976 Massif du Ziama, 1980 Lake Oromeeh, 1976 71

Miankaleh, 1976 Ô Madagascar Alto Golfo de California, 1993 Touran, 1976 Mananara Nord, 1990 (extension 1995) Sahamalaza-Iles Radama, 2001 Islas del Golfo de California, 1995 Ô Ireland Littoral de Toliara, 2003 Sierra Gorda, 2001 North Bull Island, 1981 Banco Chinchorro, 2003 Killarney, 1982 Ô Malawi Sierra La Laguna, 2003 Mount Mulanje, 2000 Ría Celestún, 2003 Ô Israel Lake Chilwa Wetland, 2006 Ría Lagartos, 2004 Mount Carmel, 1996 Arrecife Alacranes, 2006 Ô Mali Barranca de Metztilán, 2006 Ô Italy Boucle du Baoulé, 1982 Chamela-Cuixmala, 2006 Collemeluccio-Montedimezzo, 1977 Cuatrociénegas, 2006 Circeo, 1977 Ô Mauritania Cumbres de Monterrey, 2006 Miramare, 1979 Delta du Fleuve Sénégal (cp. Mauritania/ Huatulco, 2006 Cilento and Vallo di Diano, 1997 Senegal – transboundary) La Encrucijada, 2006 Somma-Vesuvio and Miglio d’Oro, 1997 La Primavera, 2006 Ô Valle del Ticino, 2002 Mauritania/Senegal – La Sepultura, 2006 Tuscan Islands, 2003 transboundary Laguna Madre y Delta de Rió Bravo, 2006 Selva Pisana, 2004 Delta du Fleuve Sénégal, 2005 Los Tuxtlas, 2006 Maderas del Carmen, Coahuila, 2006 Ô Japan Ô Mauritius Mariposa Monarca, 2006 Mount Hakusan, 1980 Macchabee/Bel Ombre, 1977 Pantanos de Centla, 2006 Mount Odaigahara and Selva El Ocote, 2006 Mount Omine, 1980 Ô Mexico Sierra de Huautla, 2006 Shiga Highland, 1980 Mapimí, 1977 Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano, 2006 Yakushima Island, 1980 La Michilía, 1977 Volcán Tacaná, 2006 Montes Azules, 1979 Sierra de Alamos - Río Cuchujaqui, 2007 Ô Jordan El Cielo, 1986 Dana, 1998 Sian Ka’an, 1986 Ô Federated States of Sierra de Manantlán, 1988 Ô Micronesia Kenya Región de Calakmul, 1993 (Calakmul, Utwe, 2005 Mount Kenya, 1978 extended and renamed in 2006) And Atoll, 2007 Mount Kulal, 1978 El Triunfo, 1993 Malindi-Watamu, 1979 El Vizcaíno, 1993 Kiunga, 1980 Amboseli, 1991 Mount Elgon, 2003 Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: Tim Ellis

Ô Kyrgyzstan Sary-Chelek, 1978 Issyk Kul, 2001

Ô Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Mount Paekdu, 1989 Mount Kuwol, 2004

Ô Republic of Korea Mount Sorak, 1982 Jeju Island, 2002

Ô Latvia North Vidzeme, 1997

Ô Lebanon Shouf, 2005 Jabal Al Rihane, 2007 UNESCO 72 today 2|2007

Ô Mongolia Ô Nicaragua Ô Peru Great Gobi, 1990 Bosawas, 1997 Huascarán, 1977 Boghd Khan Uul, 1996 Río San Juan, 2003 Manu, 1977 Uvs Nuur Basin, 1997 Noroeste, 1977 Hustai Nuruu, 2002 Ô Niger Dornod Mongol, 2005 Aïr et Ténéré, 1997 Ô Philippines Mongol Daguur, 2007 W-Region (cp. Benin/Burkina Faso/ Puerto Galera, 1977 Niger – transboundary) Palawan, 1977 Ô Montenegro Ô Tara River Basin, 1976 Nigeria Ô Poland Omo, 1977 Babia Gora, 1976 (extension 1997/2001) Ô Morocco Bialowieza, 1976 (extension 2005) Ô Arganeraie, 1998 Pakistan Lukajno Lake, 1976 Oasis du Sud Marocain, 2000 Lal Suhanra, 1977 Slowinski, 1976 Intercontinental biosphere reserve of the Puszcza Kampinoska, 2000 Ô Palau Mediterranean (cp. Morocco/Spain – West Polesie, 2002 Ngaremeduu, 2005 transboundary) East Carpathians (cp. Poland/Slovakia/ Ukraine – transboundary) Ô Ô Panama Morocco/Spain – Tatra (cp. Poland/Slovakia – transboundary Darién, 1983 transboundary) Intercontinental biosphere reserve La Amistad, 2000 Karkonosze (cp. Czech Republic/Poland – of the Mediterranean, 2006 transboundary) Ô Paraguay Ô Netherlands Bosque Mbaracayú, 2000 Waddensea Area, 1986 El Chaco, 2005

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Mata Atlântica Brazil

Mata Atlântica, meaning the Atlantic extinct before they have even been programme and various NGOs. With Forest was designated as biosphere discovered. In order to respond to the financial assistance from the United reserve in 1992; it was the first to be special need for large-scale ecosystem Nations Foundation, the ‘Eco-Job Model’ established in Brazil. It spans 3,000 km conservation and management, organisa- was able to be extended to other cities. along the Brazilian Atlantic coast and tions from the areas of science, admin- with an area of almost 300,000 km², istration and municipalities have jointly Further information: it is almost as large as Germany. The set up the ‘Mata Atlântica Biosphere http://www.rbma.org.br region boasts an enormous diversity of Reserve System’. Almost all federal species and also of ecosystems, from states concerned have installed subcom- various types of forest to mangroves, mittees. The main aim is to conserve salt marsh scrublands to dunes and and restore ecological corridors between grasslands. Magnificent instances of the the remains of the ‘Atlantic forest’. very rare ‘Atlantic Forest’ can be found in the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites The ‘Eco-Job Model’ is an example of a ‘Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest’ and project in São Roque, a typical small town ‘Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves’. in the São Paulo Green Belt. There are few schools; unemployment, violence The biosphere reserve is under the pres- and poverty are widespread. The project sure of the largest cities and the most has been qualifying young people for densely populated areas of the country. professions in the protection and sus- Almost 100 million people live in the tainable use of the biodiversity of the Mata Atlântica area, about 70 percent of region since 1996. In a well-equipped Brazil’s total population. The São Paulo ecological farming business, subjects City Green Belt is part of the biosphere such as agriculture, forestry, refuse- reserve. An uncontrolled development of recycling and ecotourism are taught. the cities poses an enormous threat to The project is supported by the State the forests and their biodiversity. Many Government of São Paulo, the Univer- Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: plant and animal species are becoming sity of São Paulo, UNESCO’s MOST Ruy Salaverry 73

Ô Poland/Slovakia – transboundary Tatra, 1992

Ô Poland/Slovakia/Ukraine – transboundary East Carpathians (East Carpathian/ East Beskid, established 1992)

Ô Portugal Paúl do Boquilobo, 1981 Corvo Island, 2007 Graciosa Island, 2007

Ô Qatar Al-Reem, 2007

Ô Romania Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: scorius Pietrosul Mare, 1979 Nerusso-Desnianskoe-Polesie, 2001 Ô Slovenia Retezat, 1979 Visimskiy, 2001 Julian Alps, 2003 Danube Delta (cp. Romania/ Vodlozersky, 2001 The Karst, 2004 Ukraine – transboundary) Commander Islands, 2002 Darvinskiy, 2002 Ô South Africa Ô Romania/Ukraine Nijegorodskoe Zavolje, 2002 Kogelberg, 1998 – transboundary Smolensk Lakeland, 2002 Cape West Coast, 2000 (extension 2003) Danube Delta, 1998 (Danube Delta Roma- Ugra, 2002 Waterberg, 2001 nia established 1979, extended 1992, Far East Marine, 2003 Kruger to Canyons, 2001 Dunaisky Ukraine established 1998) Kedrovaya Pad, 2004 Cape Winelands, 2007 Kenozersky, 2004 Ô Russian Federation Valdaishy, 2004 Ô Kavkazskiy, 1978 Spain Khankaiskiy, 2005 Okskiy, 1978 (part of Oka River Valley Grazalema, 1977 Raifa Forest, 2005 (Unit of The until 2000) Ordesa-Viñamala, 1977 Great Volzhsko-Kamsky) Sikhote-Alin, 1978 Montseny, 1978 Sarali Land between Rivers, 2005 Doñana, 1980 Tsentral’nochernozem, 1978 (Unit of The Great Volzhsko-Kamsky) Mancha Húmeda, 1980 Astrakhanskiy, 1984 Middle-Volga Integrated, 2006 Kronotskiy, 1984 Las Sierras de Cazorla y Segura, 1983 Laplandskiy, 1984 Ô Rwanda Marismas del Odiel, 1983 La Palma, 1983 (extended and renamed Pechoro-llychskiy, 1984 Volcans, 1983 Sayano-Shushenskiy, 1984 in 1997 and 2002) Sokhondinskiy, 1984 Ô Senegal Urdaibai, 1984 Sierra Nevada, 1986 Voronezhskiy, 1984 Samba Dia, 1979 Cuenca Alta del Río Manzanares, 1992 Tsentral’nolesnoy, 1985 Delta du Saloum, 1980 Lanzarote, 1993 Baikalskyi, 1986 (part of Lake Baikal Niokolo-Koba, 1981 Menorca, 1993 (change in zonation until 2000) Delta du Fleuve Sénégal (cp. Mauritania/ 2004) Tzentralnosibirskii, 1986 Senegal – transboundary) Chernyje Zemli, 1993 Sierra de las Nieves y su Entorno, 1995 Taimyrsky, 1995 Ô Serbia Cabo de Gata-Nijar, 1997 Ubsunorskaya Kotlovina, 1997 Golija-Studenica, 2001 Isla de El Hierro, 2000 Daursky, 1997 Bardenas Reales, 2000 Ô Teberda, 1997 Slovakia Muniellos, 2000 (extension 2003; part of Gran Cantábrica) Katunskiy, 2000 Slovenský Kras, 1977 Somiedo, 2000 Prioksko-Terrasnyi, 1978 (part of Polana, 1990 Oka River Valley until 2000) Tatra (cp. Poland/Slovakia - transboundary) Redes, 2001 Barguzinskyi, 1986 (part of East Carpathians (cp. Poland/Slova- Las Dehesas de Sierra Morena, 2002 Lake Baikal until 2000) kia/Ukraine - transboundary) Terras do Miño, 2002 UNESCO 74 today 2|2007

Valle de Laciana, 2003 Ô Tunisia Luquillo, 1976 (Part of Gran Cantábrica) Djebel Bou-Hedma, 1977 Noatak, 1976 Picos de Europa, 2003 Djebel Chambi, 1977 Olympic, 1976 (part of Gran Cantábrica) Ichkeul, 1977 Organ Pipe Cactus, 1976 Monfragüe, 2003 IIes Zembra et Zembretta, 1977 Rocky Mountain, 1976 Valles del Jubera, Leza, San Dimas, 1976 Cidacos y Alhama, 2003 Ô Turkey San Joaquin, 1976 Babia, 2004 (part of Gran Cantábrica) Camili, 2005 Sequoia-Kings Canyon, 1976 Área de Allariz, 2005 Stanislaus-Tuolumne, 1976 Gran Canaria, 2005 Ô Turkmenistan Three Sisters, 1976 Sierra del Rincón, 2005 Repetek, 1978 Virgin Islands, 1976 Los Valles de Omaña y Luna, 2005 Yellowstone, 1976 (part of Gran Cantábrica) Ô Uganda Beaver Creek, 1976 Alto de Bernesga, 2005 Queen Elizabeth, 1979 Konza Prairie, 1978 (part of Gran Cantábrica) Mount Elgon, 2005 Niwot Ridge, 1979 Los Argüellos, 2005 (part of Gran Cantábrica) University of Michigan Biological Station, Ô Ukraine 1979 Os Ancares Lucenses y Montes Chernomorskiy, 1984 de Cervantes, Navia y Becerrea, Virginia Coast, 1979 2006 (part of Gran Cantábrica) Askaniya-Nova, 1985 Hawiian Islands, 1980 Los Ancares Leoneses, 2006 Carpathian, 1992 Isle Royale, 1980 (part of Gran Cantábrica) Shatskiy, 2002 Big Thicket, 1981 Las Sierras de Béjar y Francia, 2006 Dunaisky (cp. Romania/Ukraine Guanica, 1981 Intercontinental biosphere reserve - transboundary) California Coast Ranges, 1983 of the Mediterranean (cp. Mo- East Carpathians (cp. Poland/Slova- Central Gulf Coast Plain, 1983 rocco/Spain - transboundary) kia/Ukraine – transboundary) South Atlantic Coastal Plain,1983 Rió Eo, Oscos y Terras de Buron, 2007 Mojave and Colorado Deserts, 1984 Ô United Arab Emirates Carolinian-South Atlantic, 1986 Ô Marawah Biosphere Reserve, 2007 Sri Lanka Glacier Bay-Admiralty Islands, 1986 Hurulu, 1977 Ô United Kingdom Golden Gate, 1986 Sinharaja, 1978 New Jersey Pinelands, 1988 Beinn Eighe, 1976 Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiya- Southern Appalachian, 1988 deniya (KDN), 2004 Braunton Burrows, 1976 (extension 2002) Champlain-Adirondak, 1989 Bundala, 2005 Cairnsmore of Fleet, 1976 Mammoth Cave Area, 1990 Dyfi, 1976 (extension 1996) Ô Sudan Loch Druidibeg, 1976 Land between the Lakes Area, 1991 Dinder, 1979 Moor House-Upper Teesdale, 1976 Radom, 1979 North Norfolk Coast, 1976 Ô Uruguay Silver Flowe-Merrick Kells, 1976 Bañados del Este, 1976 Ô Sweden Taynish, 1977 Lake Torne Area, 1986 Ô Uzbekistan Ô Kristianstad Vattenrike, 2005 United States of America Mount Chatkal, 1978 Aleutian Islands, 1976 Ô Switzerland Big Bend, 1976 Ô Venezuela Swiss National Parc, 1979 Cascade Head, 1976 Alto Orinoco-Casiquiare, 1993 Entlebuch, 2001 Central Plains, 1976 Channel Islands, 1976 Ô Vietnam Ô United Republic of Tanzania Coram, 1976 Can Gio Mangroven, 2000 Lake Manyara, 1981 Denali, 1976 Cat Tien, 2001 Serengeti-Ngorongoro, 1981 Desert, 1976 Cat Ba, 2004 East Usambara, 2000 Everglades & Dry Tortugas, 1976 Red River Delta, 2004 Fraser, 1976 Kien Giang, 2006 Ô Thailand Glacier, 1976 Western Nghe An, 2007 Sakaerat, 1976 H.J. Andrews, 1976 Hauy Tak Teak, 1977 Hubbard Brook, 1976 Ô Yemen Mae Sa-Kog Ma, 1977 Jornada, 1976 Socotra Archipelago, 2003 Ranong, 1997 75

Guido Puhlmann / Susanne Reinhardt Partnerships between River Biosphere Reserves

The administration of the biosphere reserve at the Middle Elbe works very closely with reserves with comparable natural landscapes in other countries. The objective is to constantly assess and improve aspects of the work, including practical action, right up to the management of the entire region. Large-scale projects can be implemented more effectively when many experienced and, better still, international partners, col- laborate. This is especially important with regard to the acquisition of funding. Ideally, experiences should be exchanged in both directions.

Cooperation in the world network of is part of the National Park Donauauen, opment of relations and the identification biosphere reserves is a significant its administration is located in Groß- of similar objectives and structures while criterion for the designation and during Enzersdorf. implementing the MAB programme. the regular evaluation by UNESCO. Up to the year 2006, the administration of the The Austrian colleagues and those from After internal approval processes Middle Elbe biosphere reserve worked the Russian Federation were interested in the three countries, cooperation with international partners within the in the extensive experience of the ad- agreements were signed in Octo- framework of individual projects, for ex- ministration of the Middle Elbe with re- ber 2006. The Russian partners plan ample in ‘Wetlands I and II’ with Poland, gard to river and floodplain management, a return visit to the Middle Elbe in Italy, Albania and Slovenia; among them were regions, which are not designated as biosphere reserves. A long-standing cooperation between biosphere reserves in the sense of the Seville Strategy was as yet not established.

Initiation of new contacts

In the framework of the EUROMAB conference in October 2005 in Austria, the German MAB National Committee organised a workshop for establishing international partnerships for German biosphere reserves. During this workshop initial talks between the administrations of the biosphere reserve Middle Elbe and the Russian biosphere reserve Great Volzhsko-Kamsky as well as the Austrian Visitors from the biosphere reserve Lobau at the Middle Elbe biosphere reserve Lobau took place. Photo © Mirko Pannach Professional contacts at the individual level had already been made with especially in projects concerning back- 2007; the partners from Lobau visited both reserves in the previous years. water restoration, relocation of dikes the Elbe in 2006 for the first time. and development of riparian forests. Both biosphere reserves represent the Eastern and Central European river land Upon the suggestion of the German MAB scapes on the Volga and the Danube. National Committee, the Federal Ministry First results Great Volzhsko-Kamsky is situated in the for the Environment, Nature Conservation river basin area of the Volga. Parts are and Nuclear Safety financially suppor- The general consensus among all also situated in the river basin areas of ted the visit of representatives of the those involved is that these interna- the rivers Raifa and Sarali Unit. The ad- biosphere reserve Middle Elbe to the re- tional contacts are extremely use- ministration is located in Sadovy in the serves Great Volzho-Kamsky and Lobau in ful for gathering momentum for Zelenodolsky district. The biosphere August and September 2006. The visit of one’s own work. The following future reserve Lobau is situated in Vienna and several days served to improve the devel- joint activities were worked out: UNESCO 76 today 2|2007

Cooperation between UNESCO-designated sites in Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt is rich in UNESCO-desi- Cultural Foundation DessauWörlitz and recently in June 2007, the theme was gnated sites representing unique human the Administration of the Middle Elbe ‘Myth’. These two-day conferences cultural achievements and landscapes biosphere reserve. Networking and joint were each documented in a book. of exceptional significance: Dessau and marketing measures have been imple- its Bauhaus, the Elbe River floodplains, mented by the four institutions for some The foundations and biosphere reserve Germany’s oldest biosphere reserve and, time. Cultural politics and area marketing administration have the same goals: nestling between Dessau and Wörlitz, the need a common voice, which can be Improving Saxony-Anhalt’s and Dessau’s ‘The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz‘. heard. Therefore the four UNESCO- external and internal perception, en- Also fascinating are the Luther Memo- designated sites regularly coordinate at couraging sustainable tourism as well rials, the place of his birth and death in executive level, organising joint events as preserving and developing natural, Eisleben and where he worked on the such as the annual ‘Day of the Garden cultural and ecological basic resources reformation in Wittenberg; not far away is Kingdom’ (Gartenreichtag) as well as on which life depends. Tying the pos- the middle-age old town of Quedlinburg. work together on tourism-programmes sibilities and contents of each institu- of the federal state Saxony-Anhalt. tion makes it possible to attain these Four closely cooperating institutions goals. The core objective is to realise are responsible for protecting, maintai- This cooperation first became tangible the value of the cultural and natural ning, developing and communicating and evident to the public in 2001 by potential of this region – not only the these landscapes and buildings as well the conference ‘Silence’. High level economic value. Despite there being as the exceptional value and brilliant events have been taking place every need for further development of our concepts that they embody: the Bauhaus year since then; some examples of inheritance, it must first of all be handed Dessau Foundation, the Luther Me- the themes of these events are ‘Ge- over to future generations unscathed. morial Foundations Saxony-Anhalt, the nius loci’, ‘Time’, and ‘Memory’. Most

• Waterway maintenance and development;

• Involvement of park rangers in tourist management, in public relations and district supervision;

• Beaver management and beaver research;

• Monitoring and measures for the European Union programme NATURA 2000 and

• Involvement of land-users and the population in the process of the development of reserves.

Guido Puhlmann is Head of the Administra- tion of the biosphere reserve Middle Elbe, at the Administration of the Federal State Saxony-Anhalt’s part of the UNESCO Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve. Susanne Reinhardt is staff member for public relations at the administration of the Middle Elbe biosphere reserve.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Elbe River Landscape

The floodplain landscape of the biosphere reserve along the Middle Elbe spans 3,428 km². It covers the area from the Middle Elbe lowlands in Saxony-An- halt to the north German lowlands in Schleswig-Holstein in its entirety. The region was designated by UNESCO in 1997. Its area called Steckby-Lödderitzer Forst in Saxony-Anhalt was one of the first biosphere reserves in Germany to be designated. The course of the river Elbe is bordered by natural floodplains, the largest floodplain forests in central Europe, adjacent deciduous and mixed forests as well as extensively used grassland. This biosphere reserve extends over five federal states; each federal state has established an own administration: Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomera- nia, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt. Photo © Biosphärenreservat Niedersächsische Elbtalaue The Elbe valley floodplain is an important resting and wintering area for swans significance of the Elbe valley floodplain cultivated areas and whatever losses are and geese. Many farmers consider the as a bird-resting area. Contractual nature made by the farmers are reimbursed. This birds to be a threat to their harvest. conservation secures undisturbed resting cooperation programme goes to show The Lower Saxony biosphere reserve areas, extensive cultivation methods are that despite the high numbers of geese administration has introduced a ‘guest supported and, where possible, power using the region as a resting and feeding bird management’ procedure for the supply lines are installed underground. area, losses for farmers can be kept low. purpose of keeping conflicts with farm- Areas of unharvested cereals are left un- ers to a minimum and thus retaining the touched to distract birds from the ‘actual’ An important focus of the work in the part of the biosphere reserve in Saxony-Anhalt Photo © Lutz Möller is the management of wetlands. One of the most comprehensive projects, boast- ing over five million Euros in funding, was the reconstruction of the lake ‘Kühnauer See’, an oxbow lake now disconnected from the Elbe. Through an over-supply of nutrients it threatened to fill up by sedi- mentation and some species had already disappeared. The lake was thoroughly desilted and a dam was removed so that today many species have become established again in the lake. The Elbe beaver was threatened with extinction up to the fifties; it found its last retreat in the biosphere reserve. The stock was able to increase up to 1,200 animals.

Further information: http://www.elbtalaue.niedersachsen.de http://www.mittelelbe.com http://www.elbetal-mv.de http://www.grossschutzgebiete. brandenburg.de UNESCO 78 today 2|2007

Peter Heyne Partnering with Camili Biosphere Reserve

Camili is the first biosphere reserve in Turkey. It is situated in the northeast of the country on the border to Georgia. In 2005 UNESCO included it in the world network of biosphere reserves. The Upper Lausitz Heath and Pond Landscape biosphere reserve has supported the Turkish colleagues right from the onset.

The partnership came about as a result of National Committee and the Upper a conference in the southern Turkish Lausitz Heath and Pond Landscape town Adana in 2004. EUROPARC biosphere reserve was agreed upon at Deutschland, the German association of the EUROMAB conference in Vienna. protected areas, initiated the participation of a fair number of representatives Since 2006, this partnership has come to from German biosphere reserves at this life. Local officials of the seven villages conference; they were able to report on of the Camili biosphere reserve visited their experiences in implementing the Upper Lausitz in November for a week MAB programme to local politicians and and used the opportunity for in-depth dis- stakeholders. A central focus was on the cussions with the inhabitants and farmers cooperation with the population and the of the Upper Lausitz Heath and Pond integration of sustainable development Landscape. Local problems and solutions in the management of protected areas. like the disposal of sewage or the winter road service, the consequences of demo- The Turkish colleagues showed great graphic change or the acceptance of non- interest in close cooperation. In 2005 usage in the forest were discussed. Visits a delegation of Turkish scientists and were made to fishermen and farmers ini- nature conservationists visited some tiating discussions about economic devel- German reserves. In the same year opment and how this could be integrated cooperation between the Turkish MAB into the conservation strategy of this young Turkish biosphere reserve. This productive exchange of views also showed that the idea of ‘Man and the Biosphere’ is about dialogue and friendship between nations. The people in Upper Lausitz have come a long way towards realising this idea through the partnership with the Turkish biosphere reserve Camili. The staff of the biosphere reserve administration is looking forward to a return visit in Turkey, which is scheduled to take place in late 2007; this will serve to intensify the cooperation even more.

Peter Heyne is Head of the Administration of the UNESCO biosphere reserve Upper Lausitz Heath and Pond Landscape.

“Our New National Parks Are actually Biosphere Reserves”

Interview with Michael Succow

Prof. Dr. Michael Succow has been involved in the establishment of numerous large-scale protected areas in the transformation countries of East Europe and Central Asia since 1990. He was awarded the Alter- native Nobel Prize for his achievements in 1997. Prof. Dr. Michael Succow was Professor for Geobotany and Landscape Ecology at the University of Greifswald from 1992 until 2006. In 1990 he was Deputy Minister of the GDR; he paved the way for the Cabinet decision to designate 7 percent of the area of the GDR as national parks or biosphere reserves. Since 1991 he has been a member of the German MAB committee. In the following interview he gives insights into his international projects. The questions were put by Dr. Lutz Möller, Head of the Section for Science of the German Commission for UNESCO.

UNESCO today: Mr. Succow, since the reserves have emerged. How do you nineties, you have advised many govern- use the instruments of World Heritage, ments in East Europe and North and national park and biosphere reserve? Central Asia on the development of large- scale nature conservation projects as well Succow: All three categories occur in our as supporting them through research and work; the most valuable certificate for a procuration of funds. Which countries were nature area certainly is inscription on the you active in and who were your partners? list of the UNESCO World Heritage. In the transformation countries, we were Succow: The region that we are talking able to help create a great many World about here is that of the transformation Heritage sites. They are very different to countries of East Europe, such as Russia, the early protected areas created in North Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyr- America, for which I have a great deal of gyzstan and the Caucasus Republics, as esteem. The only thing is that there the well as Mongolia and China. This is where indigenous population was frequently we offer our experience and our support almost completely wiped out before an capacities. When talking in the plural, I area was designated as a national park. mean the Michael Succow Foundation, In contrast the World Heritage sites the Institute for Botany and Landscape being established in Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Ecology of the University of Greifswald Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan protect the with its motivated young scientists, surviving indigenous cultures. All in all which I was Head of until my retirement we were involved in the nomination Photo © Michael Succow in late 2006, as well as the NABU, a process of ten to twelve World Heritage large German Nature Conservation NGO sites; among others, the Lena-Delta, whose Board of Trustees I am Head of the volcanos of Kamtschatka, parts of and was Vice President of for many years. the Northwest Caucasus, the Hirkan Forests and currently parts of the The focus of the activities is, at present, Tarim-floodplain at the edge of the Azerbaijan. Soon we will focus on Taklamakan desert in Northwest China. Turkmenistan. The first expert from our Foundation is there just now. I also sup- The second category is that of the nation- ported projects in Belarus; these were al parks. Many governments in our target financed by the Michael Otto Founda- countries are in the process of building The most valuable certificate is tion for Environmental Protection. As up a network of national parks. During the the UNESCO World Heritage a non-governmental organisation, our socialist period this protection category work can be quite effective, which is a did not exist. These newly created na- result of long trustful relations combined tional parks – I was able to be involved in with scientific and social competence. 20 to 30 projects – are actually biosphere reserves! They are zoned, they do public UNESCO today: As a result of your inter- relations and environmental education, national projects, numerous World Herit- they allow tourism in some parts and age sites, national parks and biosphere they have buffer zones where the popula- UNESCO 80 today 2|2007

tion can and must make a living. All these Prime Minister of Mongolia declared that new projects in Southwest and Central the entire Mongolian Republic actually Asia and in the Caucasus have strictly earned the status of a biosphere reserve. protected areas not used by humans in Two months later I travelled to Mongolia any way. As a rule, they are based on with my friends Matthias Freude and Eight large-scale conservation ‘Zapovedniki’ , which are conservation Hans-Dieter Knapp. Funded by the WWF, areas have been established in areas from the time of the Soviets. The we identified eight large ‘biosphere new national parks play an important regions’, containing all the landscape Mongolia role for the regional development. zones of this wonderful country. With the help of German bilateral develop- The idea of biosphere reserves was our ment aid, this led to the creation of eight approach for going to these countries at large-scale conservation areas. Officially first, as we considered it to be an ideal they are usually called national parks; concept for a sustainable way of handling the concept behind them is, however, landscapes: core areas with unaffected rather that of a biosphere reserve. nature – nature with its own momentum – next to which areas with sustainable UNESCO today: Why are national parks uses of nature; all in all similar to the particularly attractive for these countries? biosphere reserves, which we were able to create in the final phase of the GDR. Succow: In the transformation countries there is the need to catch up with UNESCO today: Was the biosphere regard to national parks. In the Soviet reserve approach successful in these Union – apart from Estonia – and in the countries? GDR, there were no national parks, as this was an idea perceived to be During the period of socialism, Succow: Partly. In Kyrgyzstan we helped originating from capitalism. However, national parks did not exist to develop the large biosphere reserve in the Academy of Sciences in the Soviet central Tian Shan around Issyk-Kul Lake. Union did have a well-developed sys- Its area comprises almost a quarter of tem of high-quality conservation areas: that of the entire country. The project the Zapovedniki. People were strictly was, inter alia, financed by the German kept out though; there was therefore Technical Cooperation Agency GTZ. no acceptance amongst the popula- Meanwhile we have realised that be- tion for them. We are now helping to cause of the economic constraints and convert some of these conservation the hardship in this country, it is difficult areas into national parks. This usually to manage such an enormous biosphere means a marked increase in area and a reserve according to the UNESCO guide- buffer zone management. These regions lines. In addition, changes in government should also be used for tourism. and corruption caused problems. All of this does not make the idea of biosphere The most successful country in this reserves in post-communist countries a respect is Azerbaijan; within the last utopia but does make their implemen- five years, seven national parks have tation extremely difficult. The largely been developed from Zapovedniki. missing infrastructure and the extent of poverty make a modification necessary. UNESCO today: In other words the new national parks are based on the Today, I am of the opinion that it would concept of biosphere reserves; the be better to implement the concept existing Zapovedniki are used as core of UNESCO biosphere reserves in the areas, which are supplemented by transformation countries via national additional buffer and transition areas? The ‘Zapovedniki’ were solely parks. A national park is seen to be a for research purposes national heritage and enjoys a very high Succow: This is indeed correct: Many standing, the areas are also smaller and of the new national parks originate from easier to manage. Apart from that the the Zapovedniki, which were solely national parks are taking up the concept used for research purposes. These once of the UNESCO biosphere reserves well-guarded conservation areas are more and more. A sound buffer zone nowadays equipped with an appropri- management is today seen to be es- ate administration, they are no longer sential for every modern national park. guarded and research no longer takes place. Their natural resources are often A further example: In 1992 at the UNCED robbed, for example by poaching, illegal conference in Rio de Janeiro, the then grazing and illegal forestry use. It is 81

essential to secure these Zapovedniki special form of pastoralism; the herds as core areas and to develop further spend the summer above the tree line valuable areas as buffer zones. Azerbaijan in the subalpine and alpine pastures and is a good example of this. In this case the winter in the steppes of the lowlands. former Zapovedniki were extended by In Azerbaijan, transhumance is still very twice to four times their original size successful, whereas in Spain or in the and transformed into national parks. The Alps it has to be subsidised consider- larger part of the new national parks is ably. Transhumance is an integral com- open for development plans and tourism. ponent of the protection areas of the How many people can earn These areas are gaining more and more lowlands as well as the high mountains, their living? acceptance within the population. whose protection and preservation we are working for. My institute was able UNESCO today: Is the focus of the to acquire support from the Volkswa- economy in the buffer zone of these gen Foundation for a research project national parks on low-impact tourism whereby young scientists from both or, as in the case of German biosphere countries investigate the sustainability reserves also on environmentally friendly of meadows within the ecosystems of cultivation and sustainable forestry? Azerbaijan. Landscape ecologists and Which development concepts are, for resource economists examine the local example, of significance in Azerbaijan? conditions and the ecology of these pastures, their productivity and the socio- Succow: The concepts are the same as economic conditions: How many people those here: on regional development, can live there, what is their income, do the preservation of established, traditio they earn their living both ecologically nal sources of revenue. Azerbaijan is a and economically reasonably, are the country in the Great Caucasus, where incomes also sustainable in the future? transhumance is still alive, which is a

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Issyk Kul Kyrgyzstan

Surrounded by the glaciated Tian Shan From desert landscapes to the Siberian Since 1995, the German Federal Ministry mountain range, the Issyk Kul biosphere tundra, Issyk Kul represents an amazing for Economic Cooperation and Develop- reserve reaches an altitude of more than range of ecosystems. Many threatened ment has supported the further devel- 7,000 meters above sea level. With an species such as the snow leopard, the opment of the biosphere reserve. The area of 43,115 km², it covers 20 percent Marco-Polo sheep and the Siberian ibex project is headed by the GTZ (German of the national territory of Kyrgyzstan. In look for refuge in this thinly populated Technical Cooperation Agency) and its the middle is the lake of the same name, area. In the biosphere reserve there are aim is to preserve the unique mountain which is 180 km long and 60 km wide; eight specially protected zones. They are landscape and to promote sustainable thus it is the second largest high- used for research on the genes of local development. The first priority was to altitude lake in the world. It appears flora and fauna and for the protection establish a legal basis for the biosphere like an oasis in this arid landscape and of the typical ecosystems. reserve, which was achieved in 1998 by is held to be sacred by the residents. a government decree and a regulation for an administrative structure in 2000.

Maps were produced for the zoning of the reserve and plans for a sustainable use of land. More recently the focus has been on increasing administrative effectiveness to promote sustainable tourism and agriculture. Public relation activities such as the production of a regional magazine and the installation of an information centre should convince the local population of the objectives of this biosphere reserve.

Further information: http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/ directory/biores.asp?mode=all&code= KIZ+02 Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: melitta UNESCO 82 today 2|2007

UNESCO today: You have made clear that you do not necessarily recommend biosphere reserves to the governments of transformation countries in the context of your current projects. Which factor pre- dominates your considerations: would the biosphere reserves in the transformation countries account for areas, which are simply too large; or is it the term ‘national park’ that implies a national heritage, in other words represents a higher value?

Succow: In these formerly socialist countries, biosphere reserves actually did exist, they were used for the implementation of purely scientific programmes – in the way, which was, at first, common worldwide. The term biosphere reserve was attached to selected Zapovedniki as an additional, international certification. Overview over the Hirkan National Park UNESCO today: Do you consider The concept that biosphere reserves are Photo © Michael Succow the legal and administrative set-up of only meant to be for research purposes these regions, if we keep the Caucasus is still widely prevalent. examples in mind, to be sufficient to survive potential drastic, political For me the idea of biosphere reserves and economic revulsions in future? is fundamental. It does, for pragmatic reasons however, make more sense to The protection of natural Succcow: A good question. Today put this idea into practice in the transfor- resources ensures future liveli- these projects require a great deal of mation countries via national parks. The hoods in Azerbaijan improvisation. I believe however that the local partners want national parks, also conditions are favourable. Azerbaijan has because they justifiably think in terms a sound and dynamic economy because of tourism. I feel that this is a sensible of the oil and gas reserves. President adaptation of the idea of biosphere Ilham Aliyev knows that in 15 years reserves to the general scheme of things the oil reserves of the country will be in the transformation countries. In West depleted. The protection of the natural European countries, the concept of bio- resources is therefore necessary to sphere reserve has become firmly estab- ensure future livelihoods in Azerbaijan. lished. Here the categories national park and biosphere reserve can be kept apart. At the moment our foundation is working A problem is rather that in West Europe on a project for the protection and preser- some of the national parks aspire the cer- vation of forests. The forests of Azerbaijan tificate of a biosphere reserve in addition. are in a state similar to those in Germany In my view, it is correct that the German 250 years ago. Here traditional, devas- Federal Nature Conservation Act includes Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: tating methods of use like coppicing, both categories: the national park with Sergey Yeliseev management of pastures in the forests the focus on nature’s own dynamics, the and uncontrolled firewood production are biosphere reserve for the preservation of still common. ‘High forests’ only exist far historical culture landscapes and with the away from settlements; at distances too focus of motivating sustainable land use. far for cows. At the moment scientists from the Michael Succow Foundation, UNESCO today: Based on your experi- financed by foundations from Switzer- ence in the MAB National Committee, land and Liechtenstein study and record do you consider the implementation the as-is state of forests on-site and of the biosphere reserve programme develop concepts for their future use and in Germany to be a success? the protection. The aim is to preserve, or rather to develop ‘high forests’, to Sucow: I was able to become acquainted separate forests from pastures. We help with different countries in the East and to develop what was already successfully the West and have worked in the German carried out in Germany during the first MAB National Committee since 1991. half of the 18th century in the Prussian Germany is, with regard to its biosphere forestry: the development of high forest. reserves, certainly one of the leading 83

countries. With our national criteria, com- Succow: A most fundamental demand is: piled in an exemplary fashion in the mid- Every economic use of a given area must nineties under Wilfried Goerke, Germany preserve the ability of its ecosystems to has proved to be a pioneer. These criteria function. We cannot accept any land use are applicable worldwide: what is necessary in future, which destroys this ability. As is an administration, an infrastructure, an an example: Moors must not be drained, information centre, a ranger service; but left as carbon dioxide sinks be able absolutely necessary are buffer zones, to form peat. If we want to use moors, so that tourists can be supplied with then in the form of semi-aquatic ecosys- locally and ecologically produced food. tems; on re-flooded moors, reeds and alderwood can be harvested, peat can Additionally, I would like to point out form – protection and use are combined. two terms, which we have used in the Second example: Steppes are, due to transformation countries since the nine- the formation of black earth, extremely It is high time for developing ties, starting in Georgia: the ‘national park valuable carbon dioxide sinks. We must ‘peace parks’ region’, embracing the surrounding land not overly exploit the steppe by intro- of a former Zapovednik. In other words, a ducing intensive cultivation methods, biosphere reserve. The second term was destroying the black earth and releasing coined in Kyrgyzstan; there, in the same carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. way as in Germany, the term ‘reserve’ Third example: Mangroves have a great arouses negative associations: here we many ecosystem functions and offer talked about ‘biosphere regions’ or a lot of economic options. They act as ‘biosphere territory’. The term ‘biosphere a protective shield for tropical coasts, territory’ was eventually introduced by as sediment stops and represent an a decree of the Kyrgyzstani President. important habitat. They loose their entire productive capacity as ecosystems UNESCO today: We have spent a lot of when transformed into shrimp cultures. time talking about your current focus, Azerbaijan. Which other projects are Mankind cannot exist without using the you preparing for at the moment? landscape; thus we must find ways, which preserve the ability of ecosystems Succow: We are currently carrying out to function on the places where we use a project in the Tarim basin in Northwest the landscape. The individual species is We need to protect China, in order to preserve the last large not paramount, but the ecological bal- the ecological balance ‘Tugay forests’. These riparian forests ance, a prerequisite of mankind’s survival. in the winter-cold deserts are, from That is why the biosphere reserves my point of view, a miracle of nature, a play such an important role, to put new, magnificent treasure. We are supported alternative ways of use into practice. New by the Volkswagen Foundation and the ways of reasoning are necessary; much Louisoder Foundation for establishing a needs to be changed at the global scale, sound scientific basis, which is of course also at the national scale, as in Germany. absolutely necessary. With the support of the DBU, the German Federal Founda- Mud volcano in the Shirvan National Park tion for the Environment we are currently Photo © Michael Succow working on a project for the regional development of a ‘biosphere region’ in the Kaliningrad Oblast. A substantial area of forest extending into Poland and Lithua- nia is supposed to be certified with an international conservation status. A future focus will be on transboundary conservation areas in the Caucasus, potentially encompassing Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Russian Republic Dagestan. It is high time implementing the idea of developing ‘peace parks’ like these!

UNESCO today: In February 2008, the third World Congress of biosphere reserves is to take place. Where, in your opinion, should the UNESCO biosphere reserve programme go from here? UNESCO 84 today 2|2007

Roland Stein Transboundary Biosphere Reserves

Eight biosphere reserves designated in the world today are transboundary. Two are situated in Africa, five in Europe and there is one that counts as being ‘intercontinental’ involving Spain and Morocco. In addition there are a number of already advanced initiatives for establishing transboundary biosphere reserves, above all in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe as well as in Africa.

The only German part of a transboundary The Franco-German even more distinct: they would not biosphere reserve is the nature reserve protected area as a model region have been possible on a national level. Pfälzerwald (Palatinate Forest), which looks back on 24 years of successful • Transboundary farmers’ markets offer Forest areas are being destroyed to a dra- cooperation with the French Parc Naturel sustainably produced agricultural matic extent in the tropics and in boreal Régional des Vosges du Nord. The region products, near-natural forestry products areas, but just as much in North America was designated by UNESCO as a trans- and creative craftsmanship from the and Southern Europe. The Franco-German boundary biosphere reserve in 1998. The region, attracting thousands of visitors biosphere reserve is the largest contigu- designation criteria provide for a periodic from both countries. ous forest area of Western Europe and evaluation after 10 years; thus one is demonstrates sustainable forest cultiva- scheduled for 2008. This will be the first • Hunters, forest rangers, scientists, tion on large areas on both sides of the time that two MAB National Committees environmental educationalists, rep- border. This proves that large-scale use of cooperate on the evaluation of a trans- resentatives of the authorities and forest resources may go hand in hand boundary biosphere reserve. This is a nature conservation associations with the preservation of biodiversity and milestone for the world network of cooperate in a transboundary net- respect for the interests of the local biosphere reserves. work for the protection of the lynx. population. At the same time peace and understanding among the nations may In 1999 the biosphere reserve Vosges be promoted. • The transboundary nature forest re- du Nord/Pfälzerwald carried out a ‘goal- serve ‘Adelsberg-Lutzelhardt’ is the first oriented project plan’ with financial sup- Government delegations from countries Franco-German core area. It is support- port from UNESCO. The focus was on with strict borders such as the Republic ed by a joint research programme, by analysing cooperation problems between of Korea or Belarus frequently visit the monitoring and environmental educa- the various stakeholders as well as deter- biosphere reserve Vosges du Nord/ tion. It is accompanied by a committee, mining mid and long term goals. Further- Pfälzerwald in order to learn about its made up of, inter alia, local stakehold- more a joint concept and a transboundary activities, the successes and challenges ers from neighbouring municipalities action plan were developed for this of transboundary cooperation. Other and the forest management. region, which spans more than 310,000 transboundary world heritage sites such hectares. as ‘Mont Perdu – Tres Serols’ on the border of France and Spain quote the A new dimension in the world In 2004 the Franco-German biosphere Franco-German biosphere reserve as network reserve organised the first world con- a role model and value our advice. ference of transboundary biosphere Transboundary biosphere reserves have reserves in the border area of the Palati- aspects and problem constellations, nate Forest. Representatives of initiatives which open a completely new dimen- for establishing future transboundary Added value of the sion in contrast to solely national areas. biosphere reserves were also invited. The transboundary cooperation If they are dealt with correctly, they can expert workshop ‘Following-up on Seville have many benefits, which can only be + 5’ took place subsequently. Over The Franco-German biosphere reserve achieved through cooperation and not 150 experts from 25 countries from carries out many different activities. by either of the partners on their own. Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe de- Among them those projects should be veloped further the recommendations of emphasized, which are successful On either side of a border there are the MAB Programme International Co- precisely in that they have managed sometimes significant differences with ordination Council. to become self-containing after initial regard to communication, the prevention financial support, and have meanwhile and solution of conflicts, to hierarchical developed sound structures. Some of structures, to decision-making mecha- our projects meeting these criteria are nisms and to perceptions of space. 85

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve W-Region

Transboundary, Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger

The ’W-Region’ is the first transbound- whereby approx. half is identified as three countries are currently develop- ary biosphere reserve in Africa. The part transition area and a third as core area. ing a coordination structure for the joint in Niger was designated by UNESCO in The name comes from the river Niger, administration of the area, with the 1996; after a long process of negotia- which flows here in the shape of a ‘W’. support of the European Union. Ma- tion, the area was extended to Burkina jor problems such as poaching, illegal Faso and Benin in 2002. Today the Settlers shaped the landscape of this fishing and clearing should be easier reserve spans an area of 31,223 km², region, as early as the Neolithic. Collect- to cope with as a result. The W-Region ing and cultivating wild flowers plays an was the first concrete result of the New important role in land use of the local Partnership for Africa’s Development population to this day. The effect on (NEPAD) environmental initiative, which the biodiversity was a reason why the was resolved at the World Summit on W-National Park in Niger, which repre- Sustainable Development in 2002. sents the core area, was declared as a World Nature Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. The W-Region is considered to be a bastion against desertification. Further information: The transboundary area is a model region http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/ Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: for testing sustainable economies while directory/biores.asp?mode=all&Code= 10b travelling integrating the local communities. The BEN+-+BKF+-+NER+01 UNESCO 86 today 2|2007

There are also the different interpreta- these experiences to the world network. • creation of sustainable alternatives to tions and implementation of international solely market-oriented use and valorisa- conventions and regulations of the Euro- In the biosphere reserve Vosges du Nord/ tion strategies. pean Union. There are different approach- Pfälzerwald we consider our current and es to environmental disaster mitigation, future challenges to be, above all: The significance of transboundary cooper- to border and security policies, and to re- ation and transboundary large-scale source management. Lastly, considerable • climate change and its consequences; reserves has been explicitly recognised deviations between scientific systems by numerous international bodies, for and research methods as well as differing • promotion of biodiversity by network- example by the seventh Conference of nature conservation legislation and zoning ing and defragmenting habitats; the Parties of the Convention on Biolo concepts can occur. gical Diversity and the World Parks • the protection of life-sustaining sys- Congress in 2003. A transboundary biosphere reserve can tems from the impact of genetically therefore offer many opportunities for har- modified organisms; The President of the German Commis- monising these different systems. This is sion for UNESCO emphasized the signifi- necessary as large-scale, transboundary • water and resource management; cance of these ‘other’ biosphere reserves complexes of ecosystems and the organ- in his foreword to the documentation of isms living there do not respect political • soil conservation and decreasing the the World Conference of transboundary borders. Therefore we must protect the use of area; biosphere reserves in 2004: “They add common natural heritage through a mul- a new quality in the dialogue between tiply sustainable development, in active • promotion of renewable energies nations and people. They tackle the chal- cooperation with the local population – and consequences for forestry; lenge to implement sustainable develop- across boundaries and cultures. ment and at the same time to contribute • transboundary regional development substantially to transboundary dialogue and demographic development; and to establish a culture of peace Transboundary challenges through collaboration and co-habitation.” • taking care of visitors; In transboundary biosphere reserves, We hope that this view will be shared solutions are worked out and collectively • intercultural dialogue; by others, particularly with regard to the implemented; as every other biosphere upcoming UNESCO biosphere reserve reserve, they address the local, the • promotion of traditional knowledge conferences such as the EUROMAB con- regional, the national and the international and cultural diversity; ference in 2007 or the World Congress level through the world network; but at in 2008. The initiative of the German MAB the same time they directly address the • education for sustainable development National Committee to carry out the peri- international level – and also contribute and odic evaluation of Vosges du Nord/Pfälz- erwald together with the French sister- committee deserves special attention at the international level.

Roland Stein coordinates the Franco-German cooperation at the Vosges du Nord/Pfälz- erwald biosphere reserve and other inter national cooperation projects. He is chairman of the European working group ‘Transbound- ary Nature Conservation’ based at the World Commission for Nature Reserves (WCPA) of IUCN.

The 3rd World Congress of Biosphere Reserves

The World Congress of Biosphere Reserves hosted in Madrid, Spain, from 4 to 8 February 2008 is only the third of its kind. Entitled ‘Biosphere Futures, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves for Sustainable Development’, it follows two massively influential conferences in 1984 in Minsk, Belarus and 1995 in Seville, Spain.

One of the major tasks of the World to the theme ‘learning laboratories’ and Congress is to stress the progress made possibilities of initiating political and since 1995 in biosphere reserves with public relations to that effect; improve- respect to biodiversity conservation, sus- ment of regional networking. In the tainable development, human migration, ‘Madrid Action Plan (2008–2012) the economic sustainability, and the role that congress will eventually define the role of biosphere reserves can play as learning biosphere reserves in the 21st century. laboratories. Details about the World Congress are The following main themes are con- available at http://www.unesco.org/mab/ sidered: Evaluation of the ‘Millennium madrid/congress2008.shtml Ecosystem Assessment’ with regard to the zonation of biosphere reserves; exchange of experiences with regard

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Can Gio Mangrove

Vietnam

As the name already indicates, mangrove due to the commitment of the local also be considered. Success stories along forests are the most important vegetation population. The impact gradient from the way make Can Gio a model region in this Vietnamese biosphere reserve. the city to the sea is of special inter- for sustainable economic activities. The territory, which covers 757 km² est to scientific nature conservation. of salt water and brackish water man- Further information: groves, spans the area from the coast A major challenge for the biosphere http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/ of the South China Sea to Ho Chi Minh reserve these days is to combine the directory/biores.asp?mode= City. The mangrove area is known as reforestation programme with the fishing all&Code=VIE+01 the ‘green lung’ of this huge industrial industry and aquaculture in a sustainable metropolis; it boasts a high biodiversity manner. Some of the 58,000 inhabitants with over 200 species of plants. use their land for aquaculture and salt production, other families with no land The destruction caused by the wars of must earn their living by catching crabs the last century had a drastic effect on and collecting firewood. The biosphere the ecosystems in Vietnam; Can Gio was reserve intends to examine and solve no exception. Rehabilitation and refor- the conflicts between the residents on estation of the mangroves were already the one hand and between the economi- underway in the early seventies. Can cal use and nature conservation on the Gio is one of the largest rehabilitated other. The protection of spawning areas Photo © Flickr Creative Commons: mangrove regions in the world today and the development of tourism should James Lowe UNESCO 88 heute 2|2007

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Resolution of the 67th General Assembly of the German Commission for UNESCO, Dessau, 28 June 2007

The German Commission for UNESCO b) to pool administrative activities at the j) to promote the establishment of level of biosphere reserves and to transboundary biosphere reserves 1. recognizes that UNESCO’s “Man enable them to play a key role in the using integrated management of pro- and the Biosphere” programme integrated development of the region, tected areas and local development, has made an important contribution since 1970 to shaping and directing c) to use funding programmes provided to provide the administrations of the relationship of man and the by the Länder government to create biosphere reserves with such person environment towards the future, models for self-supporting regional nel and such funding that they development in biosphere reserves 2. underlines the significance of the and their surroundings, k) are able to perform the functions World Network of Biosphere Re- specified by UNESCO for a biosphere serves for solving global environ d) to use the distinctive designation reserve in a comprehensive manner mental problems, for equitable as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in – protection and sustainable use as development throughout the order to build identities in competition well as research, education and world and for preserving sustain- between regions, public relations, able ecosystems as a precondition for the sustainability of society, e) to promote the participation and identi- l) are able to draw up and continuously fication of the population with the advance a “framework concept” in 3. states that the Biosphere Reserves objectives and measures of the order to meet the international and are particularly apt for local imple- biosphere reserve as part of a world national criteria, mentation of the Agenda 21, adopted network, at the UN Conference on Environ- m) are able to contribute to developing ment and Development in 1992, to shoulder Germany’s responsibility transferable strategies for coping as a member state of the MAB with climate change and for protecting 4. welcomes the German Biosphere programme, in particular biological diversity, Reserves’ active participation in implementing and advancing the f) to recognize biosphere reserves as n) are able to initiate regional develop- programme, an especially apt instrument for implement processes and to establish menting the UN Convention on themselves as competent perma- 5. expresses its gratitude to the MAB Biological Diversity, nent contacts for these processes, National Committee for its work as a link between the biosphere reserves, g) to ensure that German biosphere o) are able to utilize the content of the the federal states (Länder) responsible reserves are cooperating in the MAB programme for interdisciplinary for their establishment and UNESCO. world network, educational programmes in the framework of the UN Decade of Education 6. The German Commission for h) to support international, compara- for Sustainable Development. UNESCO calls on all politically tive research projects in and about responsible institutions and experts biosphere reserves, to recognize bio- in Germany: sphere reserves as especially suitable sites for research projects and to make To recognize and utilize the opportuni- the knowledge generated through ties provided by the MAB programme research and monitoring in biosphere for all aspects of regional develop- reserves internationally accessible, as ment, and for shaping the necessary an important contribution to solving structural transformations; and, to the problems of the environment that end, and of international development, a) to shoulder the responsibility for i) to make the establishment of new bio- biosphere reserves across depart- sphere reserves dependent on what ments at the level of Länder govern- these territories can contribute to the ments, German and the worldwide networks, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Germany:

1. Berchtesgaden (Bavaria, since 1990) 7. Pfälzerwald (Part of the Franco- 12. Swabian Alb (Baden-Württem- 2. Bliesgau (Saarland, prepar- German transboundary reserve berg, preparing its application) ing its application) Vosges du Nord/Pfälzerwald; Rhine- 13. Spreewald (Brandenburg, since 1991) 3. River Landscape Elbe (Brandenburg, land-Palatinate, nationally since 14. Southern Harz (Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, 1993, transboundary since 1998) preparing its application) Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schle 8. Rhön (Bavaria, Hesse, Thur- 15. South-East Rügen (Mecklenburg- swig-Holstein, in 1979 Saxony-Anhalt, ingia, since 1991) Western Pomerania, since 1991) trans-federal-state since 1997) 9. Schaalsee (Mecklenburg-Wes- 16. Vessertal-Thüringen Forest (Thuringia, 4. Wadden Sea of Hamburg tern Pomerania, since 2000) since 1979, extended 1986 and 1990) (Hamburg, since 1992) 10. Wadden Sea of Schleswig-Holstein 5. Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony and Hallig Islands (Schleswig-Hol- (Lower Saxony, since 1993) stein, since 1990, extended 2004) © Deutsche UNESCO Kommission / 6. Upper Lausitz Heath and Pond 11. Schorfheide-Chorin (Bran- German Commission for UNESCO, Landscape (Saxony, since 1996) denburg, since 1990) as of September 2007