Biosphere Reserves in the UK

About UNESCO Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere Reserves in the UK

The UK’s six Biospheres are part of a global network of 669 Biosphere Reserves spread across 120 countries worldwide. Membership of the global network provides unique opportunities for exchanges of experience, collaborative research and other partnerships.

- Biosffer Dyfi

- Brighton and Lewes Downs

- Galloway and Southern Ayrshire

- Isle of Man

- North Devon

- Wester Ross

Biosphere Reserves, commonly known as Biospheres, are learning sites for sustainable development where communities collaborate to live in harmony with their world-class living environment.

UNESCO’s Biospheres inspire communities to work together in creating a future we can all be proud of; connecting people with nature and cultural heritage, while strengthening local economies.

Biospheres: • celebrate people and nature • enable participation • explore new and innovative ways to protect our environment • are part of a global network

UNESCO’s Biospheres are the world’s only globally recognised designation for demonstrating excellence in sustainable development. Biospheres have three main functions; conservation, learning and research, and sustainable development. They test interdisciplinary approaches to responding to complex global challenges in a sustainable way. However, Biospheres are not isolated reserves for science or conservation. They are places with dynamic local partnerships, rooted in local communities. They work collaboratively with partners across the global network of Biospheres, to explore how we can learn to live in harmony with our environment through education, science, culture, communication and information.

Biospheres are coordinated by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme. The programme works with other UN agencies, governments, NGOs, academia and the private sector. It provides a unique global platform to aid cooperation on research, capacity-building and information sharing. It supports sustainable development, with particular focus on key challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change.

Biosffer Dyfi:Aberystwyth and the Dyfi river valley is a special place for its people, its bilingual culture and its environment. Its inspiring landscapes run from high peat moorland, to sand dunes and beaches and a wide estuary, taking in the wildlife of woodlands, farmland, saltmarsh and a large lowland peat bog. The Biosphere’s passionate community cares strongly about its magnificent surroundings and its rich cultural heritage.

Brighton and Lewes Downs:Situated on the chalk hills and coast of the South Downs within and around the city of Brighton & Hove and neighbouring towns of Lewes, Newhaven and Shoreham, this Biosphere brings together rural, marine and urban environments to take care of this special place for both nature and people: the local population of 370,000 people and 12 million annual visitors.

Isle of Man: On this self-governing island in the Irish Sea, traditional industries - such as fishing and farming - and a rich cultural heritage and vintage transport network co-exist with tourism, leisure activities and a thriving business and manufacturing sector. The Island boasts spectacular beaches and cliffs and beautiful glens and forests, and is an important haven for nature and marine and bird life.

Galloway and Southern Ayrshire: The Biosphere covers 5,200 square kilometres and was granted its status in recognition of its special qualities, from sweeping upland areas and blanket bog formations - one of the least interrupted and undisturbed mire systems in Europe - to lush forests and agricultural land. Its rural communities occupy the radiating river valleys. The Biosphere is home to 95,000 people who work together to improve life whilst caring for the natural environment.

Photo: Janice Farnan

Photo: Mike Bailey

Photo: Rich Howorth

Photo: Allan Brown

Wester Ross: The Wester Ross Biosphere extends from the northern tip of Knoydart northwards to Achiltibuie and the Summer Isles and east to Garve, including in the settlements of Kyle of Lochalsh, Lochcarron, Gairloch and Ullapool. This mountainous region is one of the UK’s most scenic and least-populated areas, with about 8,000 people living in its 5,200 square kilometres.

“I’m lucky to chair the Partnership for the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere, an area I have lived in for most of my life. The UNESCO Biosphere has helped to initiate change - working closely with the farming community. As in Biospheres around the world, the

focus is on sustainable development, in this case productive and efficient farming which is in harmony with the environment and in tune with market demand and local

community aspirations.”

Professor Michael Winter OBE, University of Exeter

“The UK’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are unique sites which showcase sustainable development in action. They offer practical, dynamic models of development and

enhance community collaboration. As part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, the UK has a powerful role to play in contributing to the international

Sustainable Development Goals”.

Dr Beth Taylor, Chair, UK National Commission for UNESCO

North Devon:Reaching to the heights of Dartmoor and Exmoor and extending to the marine environment 12 miles beyond Lundy, this Biosphere has established very effective partnerships which pioneer a range of projects for a sustainable future in north Devon. These include large landscape-scale land-use change and biodiversity enhancement, nature improvement areas, biodiversity offsetting, ecosystem-based local development plans, carbon reductionstrategies and innovations in marine conservation and fisheries management.

Community Engagement

Case study: Galloway and Southern Ayrshire

Fundamental to a successful Biosphere is the development of local partnerships for shared ownership and shared responsibility for achieving its goals. The rich culture of community engagement in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere has led to the development of The Sense of Place approach. This aims to raise awareness of the qualities of the Biosphere. A toolkit has been produced which facilitated the Biosphere Charter through which communities, individuals, and businesses work towards shared goals and objectives. Developing relationships with the region’s business communities is a key priority. The Biosphere actively participates in business week events and facilitated workshops identifying how the Biosphere can work with and benefit local businesses. A new short film aims to inspire other businesses and local groups to get involved. Seventy businesses have signed up to the Charter, proving it is a positive engagement tool.

Research

Case study:Dyfi Biosphere

The Biosphere was the lead test area for the European-funded COBWEB (Citizen OBservatory Web) research project, which crowd-sourced environmental data using citizens’ mobile phones. Through a ‘co-design’ approach, seven local organisations helped the researchers understand what the software needed to do, and then created their own surveys. Over a thousand community volunteers and staff, including school children, used the app. They collected environmental data for management and policy use, including butterflies and Japanese Knotweed, and provided detailed feedback. Research questions included data quality, privacy, security, and data standards.

Biospheres in ActionThe work of the UK’s UNESCO Biospheres in research, conservation and sustainable development encapsulates all aspects of UNESCO’s remit in education, science, culture, communication and information. Here are some examples of their remarkable work in the UK and worldwide:

Climate Change Adaptation

Case study: Brighton and Lewes Downs

Two pilot ‘rain garden’ schemes have been successfully tested and implemented in the Biosphere, in collaboration with public bodies and local residents. Rain gardens are Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) that help to absorb excess rain water and reduce flood risk from heavy rainfall events. Brighton & Hove is a national ‘Flood Risk Area’ – one of the top ten most vulnerable areas in England. The rain gardens are intended to help mitigate the risk of surface water flooding, as well as improving water quality, wildlife and public amenity value, so benefitting both the natural environment and local people.

Education

Case study:Galloway and Southern Ayrshire

The Biosphere is working closely with Ayrshire College to establish a learning partnership. This has led to an agreement for a mandatory module on the GSA Biosphere and Sustainable Development, as part of the ‘Skills for Life’ student programme. This will be delivered from February 2017 to 3500 students a year. A graded course work module for HND photography students on the Biosphere Sense of Place has also been developed as an option for students along with live briefs and learning journeys.

Photo: Rich Howorth

Capacity Building

Case study: UK Man and Biosphere Committee

The UK Man and the Biosphere Committee works with partner Biosphere Reserves around the world to share expertise and build capacity. For example, its vice-chair was commissioned to carry out a feasibility study on applying the concept of low carbon growth in one of Vietnam’s Biosphere Reserves, which contains a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The resulting report shares direct experience from the UK in reducing vulnerability to storm flooding. The Asian Development Bank has adopted the novel assessment methodology for technical assistance in nine Green City projects and will implement some of the solutions presented in the report.

Influencing Land Use and Land-Use Planning

Case study: North Devon Biosphere

The local authorities have embraced the Biosphere designation - the local development plan adopts the principles of the Biosphere and the ecosystem approach to planning. This innovation came as the Biosphere and its partners were developing alternative land use and land management scenarios to optimise ecosystem services to benefit the communities of north Devon. The outputs from this work also influenced the targeting and delivery of agri-environment schemes.

UNESCO promotes a culture of peace by fostering intercultural dialogue and international cooperation through collaborative work in the fields of education, the natural and social sciences, culture, communication and information.

The UK is home to a diverse network of UNESCO projects. From Biosphere Reserves to Creative Cities, Global Geoparks to World Heritage Sites, UNESCO is closer to home than you might think.

Discover UNESCO near you at: www.unesco.org.uk.

The UK National Commission (UKNC) works to support the UK’s contribution to UNESCO and bring the benefits of UNESCO to the UK. It is the hub for UNESCO-related matters in the UK.

The UK National Commission for UNESCO has three core priorities:1. We provide expert, independent policy advice to UK and devolved government on UNESCO related issues

2. We advise and support individuals and institutions in the UK, its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies on accessing UNESCO accreditation and prizes and how to derive more value from their involvement with UNESCO

3. We support the UK government’s agenda in helping UNESCO to become more effective

In carrying out these roles, the UKNC relies on advice and support from its expert network, including specialists in the fields of education, culture, the sciences and communication and information from across the UK.

To learn more about UNESCO in the UK and how you can get involved, contact info@unesco.org.uk or visit www.unesco.org.uk

About UNESCO

UNESCO in the UK

www.unesco.org.uk info@unesco.org.uk @UNESCOUK

Find out more at...

Biosffer Dyfi: http://www.biosfferdyfi.org.uk/en

Brighton and Lewes Downs: http://biospherehere.org.uk/

Galloway and Southern Ayrshire: http://www.gallowayandsouthernayrshirebiosphere.org.uk/

Isle of Man: https://www.biosphere.im/

North Devon: http://www.northdevonbiosphere.org.uk/

Wester Ross: http://www.unesco-mab.org.uk/wester-ross.html

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