UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Award
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2020 11:23 am
My thanks to Chris Runciman who brought to my attention the fact that north-east Tobago had recently been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
According to UNESCO, there are currently 714 biosphere reserves in 129 countries that belong to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. They define Biosphere reserves as ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity. More information can be found on their website at https://en.unesco.org/biosphere.
The reserve covers over 835 square kilometres of north-east Tobago cantered around the Main Ridge Forest Reserve but including the proposed North East Marine Protected Area that encompasses much of the sea area around the northern half of Tobago. The reserve includes 15 villages and communities in an area that starts at Moriah and proceeds up the Caribbean coast through Castara, Parlatuvier, Bloody Bay and L’Anse Fourmi to Hermitage and Charlotteville, before continuing down the Atlantic coast through Speyside, Delaford, Betsy’s Hope, Dleaford, Louse D’or, Kendall, Roxborough and Belle Garden.
I’m sure that I speak for most readers when I offer congratulations to those involved in the years of work that it has taken to convince UNESCO to consider Tobago for this prestigious award.
According to UNESCO, there are currently 714 biosphere reserves in 129 countries that belong to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. They define Biosphere reserves as ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity. More information can be found on their website at https://en.unesco.org/biosphere.
The reserve covers over 835 square kilometres of north-east Tobago cantered around the Main Ridge Forest Reserve but including the proposed North East Marine Protected Area that encompasses much of the sea area around the northern half of Tobago. The reserve includes 15 villages and communities in an area that starts at Moriah and proceeds up the Caribbean coast through Castara, Parlatuvier, Bloody Bay and L’Anse Fourmi to Hermitage and Charlotteville, before continuing down the Atlantic coast through Speyside, Delaford, Betsy’s Hope, Dleaford, Louse D’or, Kendall, Roxborough and Belle Garden.
I’m sure that I speak for most readers when I offer congratulations to those involved in the years of work that it has taken to convince UNESCO to consider Tobago for this prestigious award.