MODEL REGIONS OF WORLD STANDING UNESCO Biosphere Reserves UNESCO Biosphärenreservate F OREWORD 1| Biosphere reserves as a solution to structural policy challenges Germany, like other industrialized The management of biosphere reserves nations, has to address a number of must therefore be equipped with the nec- fundamental challenges. Demographic essary competencies to ensure that they change will have a particular impact on can fulfil the aspiration to stand as sites less densely populated rural regions, of excellence for sustainable develop- where it will cause considerable problems ment. These competencies should range with maintaining the necessary infra- from contributing to planning processes, structure in sectors such as education, managing and allocating funding, and culture, transport, administration and developing and monitoring innovative Gertrud Sahler medical care. Furthermore, the more strategic concepts, especially those aimed Chairperson of the German aggressive market competition in the wake at solving the problems associated with MAB National Committee of globalization calls for forward-looking the demographic trend. policies on key locations for business and industry even at regional and local level, to In the past few years, periodic reviews utilize existing strengths and innovation of the biosphere reserves by the German potential to best advantage. MAB National Committee have shown that these competencies and rights From the viewpoint of the German of participation vary widely from one MAB National Committee, biosphere administration to another. As a result, reserves as model regions can make a it is often impossible to make best use special contribution to solving these of the opportunities for an integrated structural policy challenges. In contrast approach. Furthermore, national and to other regional development instru- regional environment ministries are ments, e.g. drafting Integrated Rural virtually the sole source of support. A Development Concepts or implementing more reasonable approach would be to LEADER processes, biosphere reserves make greater use of relevant support pro- are geared towards the long term and are grammes across all departments of the thus especially well suited to consolidat- Federal Government and regional gov- ing regional development processes. ernments, in order to stimulate further Human beings are entitled to a healthy and economic potential in and around Ger- The adoption of the Seville Strategy has many’s biosphere reserves. Existing pro- productive life in harmony with nature. transformed the original focus of the grammes could thereby provide impulses MAB Programme as an interdisciplinary for a kind of regional development that is research programme. Today biosphere not only environmentally sustainable but 1st principle of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992) reserves are model regions for sustainable also self-sustaining. development. 2 | UNESCO BiOSphE r E rESErvES • MO d E l rE giONS O f wO rld S taN diN g U NESCO “MAN AND THE BIOSP HERE” P ROGRAMME 3| Contents Vital places The reality of the global challenges 1 Foreword 3 UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” Programme If polar ice melts, polar bears will die out. Climate change and the loss of biodiversity practices for preserving the quality of the The polar bear has come to symbolize are two of the major global environmental natural environment for all of humankind 6 Biosphere reserves in Germany the dramatic impacts of climate change. problems. International programmes are over the long term. The UNESCO “Man 10 The principal tasks of biosphere reserves Coastal regions around the world will be required to meet these challenges. Region- and the Biosphere” programme is the first submerged. Along Germany’s coasts, the ally focused projects are being launched global programme for human-environment 14 Conservation of species and habitats sea level is already rising. around the world to test new methods and relationships. 18 Economic sustainability IMAGE C REDITS Archiv NPA Stock: p. 8, 36; Bionade GmbH: p. 20; N. Bött- 30 Research and education cher – Fotolia.com: p. 15; W. Dexheimer: pp. 9, 19; Archiv 38 Partners and networks B. Dittrich/EUROPARC Germany: p. 3; E. Dornblut: p. 28; M. Höhne: p. 10; P. Ibe: pp. 5, 8, 11, 15; K. Janke: p. 8; K. 41 Addresses Jarmatz: pp. 17, 25; O. Kunstmann – Fotolia.com: p. 15; Stéphane Lerouge – Fotolia.com: p. 35; Lungwitz: p. 9; K. Pape: pp. 14, 22, 34; K. Spitzl: p. 9; Richter: p. 8; E. Schade: pp. 38, 40; Ralf M. Schreyer: pp. 9, 19; G. Schriefer: p. 18; L. Stein: p. 29; L. Trauzettel: p. 29; Trägerverbund Burg Lenzen e. V.: p. 8; I. Vallentin: p. 32; D. Weis: p. 30 Unless photographers are credited by name, image rights reside with the individual biosphere reserve administrations. P ROJ E C T WORK ING GROUP Klaus Jarmatz, Klaus Pape, Dr. Johannes Prüter, Guido Puhlmann, Gertrud Sahler, Jens Schumann, Axel Tscherniak There have to be places where trends are set. It’s the only way we can address the impacts of climate change. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves can create these places. Prof. Carlo Jaeger Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) 4 | UNESCO BiOSphE r E rESErvES • MO d E l rE giONS O f wO rld S taN diN g U NESCO “MAN AND THE BIOSP HERE” P ROGRAMME 5| Biosphere means habitat Germany takes a lead First global programme for human-environment relationships Political decisions in favour of sustainability In 1970 UNESCO launched the “Man with nature. The underlying idea of the Vessertal and stretches of the Middle Germany sees the designation of bio- Forty national criteria underpin the Currently there are 13 biosphere reserves and the Biosphere” (MAB) programme. programme, that of combining conser- Elbe valley – were designated as long ago sphere reserves as a means of taking required quality standard. Compliance throughout Germany, with another The purpose of this programme is to vation with sustainable use of natural as 1979, only three years after the nomi- responsibility. The approval procedures with the criteria, and ongoing development three areas working towards UNESCO establish model regions, the biosphere resources, was taken up by the Rio Earth nation of the first biosphere reserves in are regulated by UNESCO’s binding of the reserves, are regularly reviewed by approval. reserves, for testing out ways in which Summit in the form of AGENDA 21. the world. Statutory Framework. the German MAB National Committee. humans can live and work in harmony The first German biosphere reserves – Designation as a UNESCO biosphere reserve means In 1979 UNESCO approved the Vesser- 54 fungus species have been discovered. Today the biosphere reserve is part of tal Nature Reserve as a biosphere reserve Likewise in 1979, UNESCO designated the transregional Elbe River Landscape much more than protection of the natural landscape, in response to the application submit- the Steckby-Lödderitz Forest Biosphere Biosphere Reserve, which is managed ted by the former German Democratic Reserve, which was extended in 1988 to cooperatively between biosphere reserve because it also envisions sustainable development of Republic. Today, over an area of 17,000 incorporate the Dessau-Wörlitz cultural administrations in Saxony-Anhalt, ha, it encompasses a characteristic sec- landscape. In 1990, the area was rede- Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western the region. Economic development should be pro moted tion of the Thuringian Forest. signated as the Middle Elbe Biosphere Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Schles- As this cultural landscape has evolved, Reserve. wig-Holstein. whilst the cultural value of the landscape should be close linkages have formed between more The reserve extends along the courses cultural and more natural habitats. This of the rivers Elbe and Mulde. Central preserved. is all the more evident in the astonish- Europe’s largest contiguous riparian ing abundance of species. To date, 1,117 hardwood forests have been retained in plant species, 2,442 animal species and this area. Walter Hirche President of the German Commission for UNESCO 6 | BIOSP HÄRENRESERVATE IN DEU TSC HLAND B IOSP HERE RESERVES IN G ERM ANY 7| Baltic Sea Paths for the future 2 1 World Network and “National Natural Landscapes” North Sea Schleswig- Holstein Mecklenburg- The UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” and as areas where sustainable economic Nature conservation (MAB) programme revolves around a use of the landscape should be combined The aim is the protection of natural eco- 3 Western Pomerania central question: how can humankind rec- with preservation of the population’s cul- systems and their long-term productivity 4 5 oncile and achieve the long-term objectives tural identity. and functional capacity. of conserving biological diversity, striving 6 for economic and social development and The World Network of Biosphere Economic sustainability preserving cultural values? Reserves is an integrative instrument, Support should be targeted towards sus- which also helps to foster solidarity tainable development options in the vari- Lower Saxony Brandenburg Improvement of people’s economic and and understanding between people and ous sectors of the economy, e.g. organic 7 social living conditions needs to be nations. farming, ecologically adapted forest achieved in harmony with long-term Biosphere reserves, along with national management, and environmentally and protection of the natural resources that parks and regional or nature parks, are socially compatible tourism. support all life. one of