Biosphere Reserve

World Biosphere Reserve Network Map in 2011. (Note: Transboundary sites are redistributed among the countries in which they are located on the location map, therefore they have been accounted for several times).

In 1971 Unesco began the Program on Man and the Biosphere (Man and biosphere in its English name and commonly abbreviated by its acronym MaB), which had as objective to reconcile the mentality and the use of natural resources, outlining the concept of sustainable development. As part of this project, geographical locations representative of the different habitats of the planet would be selected, covering both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. These places or areas are known as biosphere reserves (or biosphere reserves in most Latin American countries).

These biosphere reserves are internationally recognized, although they remain under the sovereignty of their respective countries, and are not covered or protected by any international treaty. They are selected for their scientific interest, based on a series of criteria that determine whether a space is included in the program. The function of these spaces is not only the conservation and protection of biodiversity, but also the economic and human development of these areas, research, education and the exchange of information between the different reserves, which form a global network.

In 2001, the World Network of Biosphere Reserves received the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord.

As of 2019, there are 701 biosphere reserves in 124 different countries. The distribution of these spaces in the world as of 2011 is shown below.

Biosphere Reserves are territories whose objective is to harmonize the conservation of biological and cultural diversity and economic and social development through the relationship of people with nature.