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U.S. Biosphere Reserves

A brief explanation of the U.S. Biosphere Reserves Program.

There are presently 337 biosphere reserves in 85 countries. The 47 U.S. biosphere reserves include 99 legally protected sites under government or private ownership.

Three Sisters Wilderness, USDA-Forest Service

Conservation

A biosphere reserve conserves the natural resources and special natural qualities of its region.

Each biosphere reserve must have at least one legally protected natural area. This area could be used for such activities as hiking, diving, bird watching, educational field trips, scientific research and monitoring of plant and animal life.

In the U.S. most biosphere reserves are either national parks (22) or national forests (15). Others are under federal, state, or private ownership and management.

One purpose of a biosphere reserve is to encourage local residents to maintain the variety of plants and animals representative of the region.

Isle Royale National Park

Development

The ideal biosphere reserve has areas locally managed for economic development with respect for the conservation of the protected areas. These managed areas are used for tourism, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and recreation.

The managers of a protected area encourage the development of a zone of cooperation near the protected areas. This zone contains towns, factories, farms, fisheries, and other human activities. The economic and cultural development can also help protect the natural areas.

One purpose of a biosphere reserve is to promote economic and cultural development for generations to come.

Apalachicola Research Reserve

Cooperation

The biosphere reserve is a place for long term study of changes in the physical, biological, and human environment Scientists and managers at biosphere reserves cooperate with each other to share data from research and monitoring programs to better understand nature and mankind's impact on the environment.

The biosphere reserve is a place for education and training. Land management methods can be demonstrated. Local people, landowners, and organizations cooperate on conservation and development issues affecting the region. The involvement of local people is essential to a biosphere reserve.

One purpose of a biosphere reserve is to foster cooperation among residents and landowners to plan the research, development, conservation, and education activities of the area.

Personal Comments

"We in Pittman Center have been involved with the Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere (SAMAB) Program for almost five years. I want to make it clear that the SAMAB Program does not infringe upon private property rights, try to depopulate an area, allow outsiders to direct future development, nor bring additional regulatory pressures. Our association with the program has resulted in many benefits to the community especially the recognition that economic development and natural resource protection are complementary goals, not competing ones!"

James B. Coykendall, III, Board of Alderman
Pittman Center, Tennessee

"Let's keep humankind in touch with reality. Reality is that we exist within our natural world, part of nature and part of the family of living systems. The creation of biosphere reserves in our urban world allows us to continue being a part of total living systems."

Ann Azari, Mayor
City of Fort Collins, Colorado

"In the Native American perspective, the preservation of the earth's environment is based on two key principles; time and relationship. Components of the earth's natural environment interact and complement each other. If man fails to recognize these fundamental relationships and does not institute preservation measures, the interaction will slowly decrease and eventually cease altogether. The long-term preservation concepts and success of the Biosphere Program will be measured by man's relationship with the earth's natural environment over time. The Man and the Biosphere Program is a necessity for the very existence of man."

Floyd Flores, O'odham Nations,
Tucson, Arizona

"A Biosphere Reserve creates a biologically relevant framework to recognize and protect the broader range of resources required by many forms of wildlife. Natural systems can only be protected over larger areas. A Biosphere Reserve creates the collaborative goals between groups to accomplish more than would be accomplished individually."

Daniel Evans, Executive Director
Point Reyes Bird Observatory, California

Biosphere reserve designation encourages voluntary cooperation, and requires no special programs, methods of management, financial obligations, or changes in ownership. U.S. MAB provides program support to U.S. Biosphere Reserves, but the local partners in the biosphere reserves are in charge.

Steps to Biosphere Reserve Designation

1. A federal, state, or local agency, organization, or individual completes the nomination form. Owners and managers of the protected lands and local government leaders write letters of support.

2. The completed nomination form and letters of support are sent to the U.S. Man and the Biosphere Program (U.S. MAB) for review and recommendation.

3. U.S. MAB sends the recommended nomination to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) office in Paris. The Man and the Biosphere Program office there makes the final approval and awards the biosphere reserve designation.

For further information please contact:

U.S. MAB Secretariat, OES/ETC/MAB
Department of State, Washington, DC,
20522-4401
Tel. (202) 776-8318, Fax. (202) 776-8367

Department of State Publication, released September 1996