sc-o3/coNF.2 17/2 Paris, 18 June 2003 Original: English

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION

Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme

Meeting of the Bureau of the International Co-ordinating Council

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, Room XVI (Bonvin Building) 8-1 1 July 2003

http://www.unesco.org/mab/bureau. htm

Item 6 of the Provisional Agenda:

Examination of proposals for new biosphere reserves

1. The Advisory Committee for Biosphere Reserves will hold its tenth meeting at UNESCO Headquarters on 2-4 July 2003. It will be invited to consider 22 proposals for new biosphere reserves fi-om 1 1 countries, of which two (Slovenia and Yemen) have been submitted by countries, which do not yet have biosphere reserves. In addition, it will be invited to examine 3 proposals for extensions to existing biosphere reserves. These proposals are listed below in Annex A.

2. A s the Advisory Committee will meet just before the MAB Bureau meeting, its recommendations on these proposals will be presented to the Bureau on the o p e d d a y of the Bureau’s meeting. These recommendations will be in English, which is the working language of the Advisory Committee.

3. Summaries of the biosphere reserve proposals, corresponding to the first part of the nomination form, will be distributed to members of the Bureau separately in the language in which the form was submitted to the Secretariat. The full nomination dossiers will be available for consultation during the Bureau meeting.

4. Annex B of this document presents two biosphere reserve proposals which were recommended for approval in 2002 subject to receiving certain clarifications, and for which the requested information has been received by the Secretariat.

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The Bureau is invited to examine these proposals and make a decision thereon

Annex A: N e w biosphere reserve proposals for 2003

N a m e of site 1. China - Foping 2. China - Wudalianchi 3. China - Y ading 4. Czech Republic - extension to Palava Biosphere Reserve

5. India - Nanda Devi

6. Italy - Iles de Toscane

7. Italy - Selva Pisana

8.Kenya - Mount Elgon 9. Mexico - Sierra de Laguna 10. Mexico - Banco Chinchirro 1 1. Nicaragua - Rio San Juan 12. Russian Federation - Far East Manne

13. Russian Federation - Volzhski- Kamsky 14. Russian Federation - Kenozersky

15 Slovenia - Kozjanski 16. Slovenia - Karst 17. South Africa - extension to Western Cape Biosphere Reserve 18. Spain - extension Muniellos Biosphere Reserve 19. Spain - Picos de Europa

20. Spain - Valle de Laciana

21. Spain - Valles del Jubera, Leza, Cidacos y Alhama 22. Spain - Monfragiie

23. Viet N a m - Cat Ba

24. Viet N a m - Red River Delta

25. Yemen - Socotra Archipelago

Comments

Note proposal for new name as Low Morava BR Electronic versions available. Revision of nomination deferred in 2001 (refer to recommendation of MAB Bureau). Formal letters of endorsement reauested. Formal endorsement letters imminent Electronic version of nomination and mans available Formal endorsement letters imminent. Electronic version of nomination available. Electronic versions of nomination & mau available

Electronic version of nomination available Electronic version of map available Electronic version of map available Revision of nomination deferred in 2002. Refer to recommendation of MAB Bureau Electronic version of nomination and maps available Electronic version of nomination available

A-4 size mar, reauested Revision of incomplete nomination submitted in 2002 Electronic version of nomination available

Core area is Skocjanske Caves WH site. Electronic version of nomination available Submitted in response to Bureau's recommendations in 2000 Revision of extension deferred in 2002 - refer to recommendations of MAB Bureau. November 2002 Revision of nomination deferred in 2002 - refer to -ecommendations of MAB Bureau. November 2902 Pevision of nomination' deferred in 2002 - refer to .ecommendations of MAB Bureau. November 2002

tevision of nomination deferred in 2002 (refer to ,ecommendation of MAB Bureau). Electronic rersions of nomination & mar, available. Zlectronic versions of nomination & map available. Ifficial endorsement letters imminent 3ectronic version of nomination, maps, decree and .onservation zoning plan available.

Annex B: Biosphere reserve proposals recommended for approval subject to certain clarifications

Madagascar - Littoral de Toliara Extract of the MAB Bureau report, 6-8 November 2002

78. The Bureau welcomed this nomination fiom the southwest coast of Madagascar, consisting of a terrestrial ecosystem (thorny dry forest, thorny bush, riparian forest and lakes), an intertidal ecosystem (mangroves, tidal flats), and a marine ecosystem (coral reefl. It recognized the high value for conservation, with levels of endemism reaching 85% for the jlora, and 60% for the fauna.

79. The Bureau noted that while this site was part of the National Environment Action Plan of Madagascar and a potential demonstration site for integrated coastal conservation and development, the legal protection, notably of the core areas was still being developed. The Bureau noted that the Advisory Committee had recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve subject to confirmation from the Madagascar authorities of adequate legal protection of the core areas and of the zonation pattern as described in the nomination dossier. It therefore encouraged the authorities to provide this information in time for its next meeting.

The Malgache authorities have indicated that they will inform the Bureau of the measures taken to meet the conditions for approval of this site.

Slovenia - Triglav Extract of the MAB Bureau report, 6-8 November 2002

83. The Bureau welcomed this proposal from Slovenia, which so far did not have any biosphere reserves. It noted that this site consisted of a National Park in the mountainous northern part of the country, which made up the core area and buffer zones, surrounded by a transition area based on the neighboring municipalities. The whole area was noted for its high biodiversity and endemism and traditional cultures, with a good programme ofproblem- oriented research. The Bureau recognized that the National Park authorities and the municipalities were in the process of forging a common agreement with a view to making a new integrated management for the whole area nominated as a biosphere reserve.

84. The Bureau noted that the Advisory Committee had recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve subject to the conclusion of agreement, a copy of which should be provided to the Secretariat with an English summary and an indication of the policy to be taken in the overall integrated management plan. The Bureau therefore encouraged the Slovene authorities to provide this information in time for its next Bureau meeting, and also to consider providing another name to identifi the biosphere reserve and not confuse it with the National Park, for example the ‘Yulian Alps Biosphere Reserve’’.

The Slovene authorities have provided the text of the agreements between the Triglav National Park and the Mayors of the municipalities of Kobarid, Beld and Bohinj, and have indicated that these municipalities will take into consideration the results of the UNESCO- MAJ3 Programme in the implementation of the municipality plans. It is also agreed to rename this site as the “Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve”.

SC-O3/CONF .2 17/2 Add. Paris, 4 July 2003 Original: English

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL, ORGANIZATION

Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme

Meeting of the Bureau of the International Co-ordinating Council

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, Room XVI (Bonvin Building) 8-1 1 July 2003

http : //w .unesco. or g/mab/bureau. htm

Item 6 of the Provisional Agenda: Point 6 de l’ordre du jour provisoire :

Examination of new biosphere reserve proposals Etude des propositions de désignation de nouvelles rCserves de b.asphère

ADDENDUM

Recommendations of the Advisory Committee for Biosphere Reserves (2-4 July 2003)

Please find attached the extract of the report of the loth meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biosphere Reserves concerning the new biosphere reserve proposals. These recommendations are available only in English, the working language of the Advisory Committee. Time did not permit to have them translated for the Bureau meeting.

Recommandations du Comité consultatif sur les rCserves de biosphère (2-4 juillet 2003)

Veuillez trouver, ci-joint, un extrait du rapport de la loe réunion du Comité consultatif sur les réserves de biosphère concemant les nouvelles propositions de réserves de biosphkre. Ces recommandations ne sont disponibles qu’en anglais, langue de travail du Comité consultatif. Compte tenu des dates, il n’a pas été possible de les faire traduire.

Examination of proposals for new biosphere reserves

The Advisory Committee examined 25 proposals fiom 13 countries, of which six (6) were revisions and resubmissions of proposals examined in previous years, and three (3) were extensions to existing biosphere reserves. The Advisory Committee made the following recommendations on these proposals.

Foping, China The Advisory Committee noted the important conservation value of this site at the national level, in particular it being one of the three major habitats of the giant panda in China. The area also abounds in a large variety of plant species (including medicinal plants) and has great potential for ecotourism and scientific research. The Advisory Committee recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve, subiect to the submission of a complete zonation map that indicates adequate buffer and transition zones around the core area.

Wudalianchi, China The Advisory Committee welcomed this proposal as this area was marked both by tertiary and quaternary volcanism which gave rise to rich soils and a multitude of mineral water sources that are used for medicinal purposes. The Advisory Committee recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve. It also recommended that scientific research on the succession of plant species in the recently erupted parts of the biosphere reserve be further strengthened and that ecotourism in line with educational demonstration projects on volcanism and plant successions be developed. Furthermore, the Advisory Committee suggested that a larger number of local people be represented in the biosphere reserve coordination committee.

Yading, China The Advisory Committee welcomed this proposal as this site was not only an important area in terms of biological diversity, but also in terms of culture as the home of the Kang B a Tibetan minority and three sacred mountains which have helped to conserve the environment and the integrity of the water catchment area of the upper Yangtze River. The Advisory Committee recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve. It cautioned that tourism be carefully managed in the area so as not to jeopardize the integrity of the environment and the cultural values attached to the region. The Advisory Committee suggested that a larger number of local people be represented in the biosphere reserve coordination committee.

Extension to Palava Biosphere Reserve, Czech Republic The Advisory Committee welcomed this proposed extension, which represented a long systematic effort to extend this site to cover contiguous areas along the State borders with Austria and the Slovak Republic. This effort stems fi-om an intention to apply the Ecosystem Approach using the biosphere reserve as a management tool for the conservation and sustainable development of a central European floodplain ecosystem.

The Advisory Committee commended the Czech Authorities on this well prepared proposal, which served as an example for other comparable extensions. It recommended that the

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extended site be approved with the new name of the Lower Morava Biosphere Reserve. It also recommended that the Czech authorities:

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provide W h e r information on the coordination mechanism; be encouraged to work with the respective Austrian and Slovak MAB National Committees to consider the establishment of a future trilateral transboundary biosphere reserve on the lower Morava River.

For this latter point, the Advisory Committee invited the Secretariat to bring this recommendation to the attention of the Austrian and Slovak National Committees.

Nanda Devi, India The Advisory Committee welcomed the resubmission of this proposal, which had been deferred in 2001. It commended the Indian authorities for now having included in the proposal a transition zone with 55 villages so as to promote sustainable development of this natural World Heritage site that culminated at 7,817m. The Advisory Committee appreciated the fact that a series of meetings with the local population had been held, and that an Action Plan had been established as a result of consultations with the local people. The Advisory Committee, therefore, recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve, subiect

receiving endorsements of the nomination dossier by all local and national authorities in charge of the area, and upon the submission of additional information on the spatial extent of the transition zone.

Tuscan Islands, Italy The Advisory Committee welcomed this proposal of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea with insular and marine components, the majority of which were protected as a National Park. The Advisory Committee recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve. It requested that the Italian authorities to:

o clarify whether the marine transition area linked up all the islands in one unit and, if this was not the case, to consider doing so;

o provide a map of the whole site as a biosphere reserve, with the corresponding zonation;

o consider sharing the Tuscan Archipelago experience of balancing conservation with the development of sustainable tourism in coastal marine areas with other coastal marine biosphere reserves.

Silva Pisana, Italy The Advisory Committee took note of this proposal based on a Regional Park situated on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, with a long history of human use and containing a rich variety of natural, semi-natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. It noted the proximity of urban centres and the emphasis given on evaluating the ‘ecological footprint’ of the extended Livorno, Pisa and Luca Area. The Advisory Committee considered that the development function of this proposal could be strengthened by better reflecting the new role that this area could have in promoting sustainable development of this extended region.

Accordingly, the Advisory Committee recommended that this proposal be deferred and that the Italian authorities be encouraged to:

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o revise the zonation to extend the transition area to include the settlements and tourist areas especially along the west coast, as well as a marine component along the core areas along the coast;

o direct the excellent research infrastructure to socio-economic studies, especially with a view to promoting more sustainable tourism;

o translate the results of the ‘ecological footprint’ studies into concrete actions and provide information thereon to the Secretariat.

Mount Elgon, Kenya The Advisory Committee welcomed this comprehensive proposal concerning important forest and mountain ecosystems of Kenya. It noted that the three biosphere reserve hctions were fulfilled. The Advisory Committee recommended that this proposal be approved. The Advisory Committee recommended that the Kenyan authorities:

improve the zonation plan by extending the buffer zone in order to protect the eastem limit of the core area; establish a mechanism of consultation between the three administrations authorities in biosphere reserve; to further develop appropriate contacts and cooperation with the Uganda authorities with a view to establish a Mount Elgon Ecosystem Biosphere Reserve covering th^ entire ecosystem..

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In connection with this last point, the Advisory Committee recommended that the Secretariat provide support for the organization of a joint workshop with Uganda in order to establish such a transboundary biosphere reserve.

Sierra La Laguna, Mexico The Advisory Committee noted that the nominated site, which had been designated a national biosphere reserve in 1994, convincingly fulfilled all required functions. Ecologically, the area represented highly important and partly unique habitats, including a rare deciduous forest type. This area included 79 endemic plant species and five (5) endemic genera. Therefore, the Advisory Committee recommended auproval of this site as a biosphere reserve.

Banco Chinchorro, Mexico The Advisory Committee welcomed the nomination of this marine site of outstanding ecological importance, which had been designated a national biosphere reserve in 1996. As there were currently no permanent residents according to the provided zonation, the Advisory Committee noted that the nomination could be strengthened by including the adjacent area on the mainland, with communities who were important stakeholders in the Banco Chinchorro. The Advisory Committee appreciated the prompt and thoughtful response of the Mexican authorities to the technical comments of the Secretariat in this regard, and acknowledged the fact that the communities were in fact strongly integrated in the management programme. However, the Advisory Committee recommended that the inclusion of the adjacent mainland area should be clearly reflected in a revised zonation scheme.

The Advisory Committee recommended that the promising proposal be apuroved subject to submission of a revised zonation, which explicitly included the coastal settlements, if possible prior to the meeting of the MAB Intemational Coordinating Council in 2004.

Rio San Juan, Nicaragua The Advisory Committee welcomed this proposal and noted the outstanding ethnic, cultural, historical and ecological richness of the area, part of which had been a nationally designated biosphere reserve since 1999. The Advisory Committee encouraged the Nicaraguan authorities to firther investigate and develop transboundary coordination and cooperation with neighbouring Costa Rica in accordance with statements expressed in the nomination and building upon existing efforts. The Advisory Committee recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve.

Far East Marine, Russian Federation The Advisory Committee commended the Russian authorities on the revised version of this proposal, which explicitly took account of the recommendations made in 2002: i.e. there was now a large transition area connecting the four island core areas and covering a large land area on the coast; the development hction had been considerably strengthened with a new focus on sustainable and socio-economic development; and the creation of a Coordination Council which would oversee the implementation of a management plan starting in 2004.

The Advisory Committee therefore recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve and encouraged the Russian authorities to:

continue to build up the development íünction with the stakeholders concerned by sustainable socio-economic activities in the transition area (for example the aquaculture companies, the Gamov Deer Farm, etc.); further discuss and share information on the structure and functioning of this potential biosphere reserve at the forthcoming UNESCO-CSI meeting on marine protected areas in Vladivostock in September 2003, and in particular at the EuroMAB workshop on coastal marine biosphere reserves to be held in Finland on 22-25 October 2003; consider whether it would be appropriate to give a new name for this potential biosphere reserve reflecting not only the marine part but also the coastal transition area.

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Volzhsko-Kamsky, Russian Federation The Advisory Committee recognized that this was a relatively small site consisting of the ‘Raifa’ unit of the Volga-Kama National Nature Reserve and surrounding forests, agricultural areas and townships, in the vicinity of the town of Kazan on the Volga River. The Advisory Committee welcomed the efforts of the local authorities responsible for the core area to forge agreements with local enterprises with the main aim of reducing anthropogenic pressure on the core areas. It considered however that the development function needed to be strengthened, such that the potential biosphere reserve could serve as a pilot demonstration area of sustainable development practices in rural areas, based on the application of research results in the buffer zones and particularly the transition area.

The Advisory Committee therefore recommended that this proposal be deferred and revised accordingly.

Kenozersky, Russian Federation The Advisory Committee recognized that this proposal coincided with the Kenozerosky National Park zoned in a similar fashion as a biosphere reserve, with multiple objectives of conserving the biological and cultural diversity, ecological education and research, and social-

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economic development for local communities based on ecologically sound use of natural resources. The Advisory Committee considered that this site addressed the three functions of biosphere reserves but that the proposal could be strengthened by extending the zonation to include appropriate contiguous forest zones, which in particular would serve as buffer zones and transition areas around the core areas situated at the outer edges.

The Advisory Committee therefore recommended that this proposal be deferred and revised accordingly.

Kozjanski, Slovenia The Advisory Committee noted that while this proposal had been announced as a revision of the proposal submitted in a preliminary form in 2002, it was still incomplete and had not taken account of the technical comments made at that time. The Advisory Committee therefore recommended that this proposal be deferred and that the Secretariat provide technical support to the Slovene authorities to revise this proposal in conformity with the criteria of the Statutory Framework.

Karst, Slovenia The Advisory Committee recognized that this proposal was not receivable, as it did not conform to Article 2.3 of the Statutory Framework.

Extension of Western Cape Biosphere Reserve, South Africa The Advisory Committee noted with satisfaction that the recommendation made by the Bureau had now been implemented. The marine core area comprising off shore islands such as Dassen Island had now been incorporated as well as the surrounding marine area. The Advisory Committee recommended that this extension be amroved, thereby making a full-fledged biosphere reserve.

Extension to Muniellos, Valle de Laciana and Picos de Europa, Spain The Advisory Committee recalled that these three sites had been presented as being components of a large future Gran Cantabrica bioregional biosphere reserve and that it had recommended deferral of these proposals, encouraging the Spanish authorities to proceed with the consolidated Gran Cantabrica nomination; The MAB Bureau, at its meeting in November 2002, had requested a clarification on the extent and composition of the future Gran Cantabrica Biosphere Reserve, indicating how the different parts were zoned and fitted together to make a rational zonation of the whole as a bioregional biosphere reserve.

The three proposals had been revised and resubmitted in consequence, with an explanatory note from the Spanish Government on the process of creating the Gran Cantabrica in a step- by-step fashion, through the nomination by the respective autonomous provinces of proposals for viable biosphere reserves.

The Advisory Committee took note with appreciation of the reaffirmation of the Spanish authorities of their commitment to establish the Gran Cantabrica biosphere reserve, and fully understood that the various autonomous provinces had to act individually within their temtorial competence in making proposals in this direction. The Advisory Committee examined the three revised proposals in the light of this background information. It welcomed

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the high quality of the documentation provided. It noted that the revised zonation for each consisted of a reduction of certain core areas in order to create buffer zones around the core areas formerly located at outer edges. This implied a reduction in the size of the previously proposed core areas, which appeared undesirable.

The Advisory Committee therefore made the following recommendations on these proposals based on the principle that core areas would be maintained along the outer edges as per the 2002 proposals, while an attempt would be made to introduce buffer zones for those core areas, which were in the same province.

Extension to Muniellos Biosphere Reserve, Spain The Advisory Committee recommended that this proposal be approved with the core areas of the extension reinstated as per the 2002 proposal. It recommended that assurances be provided that appropriate contiguous areas in the Province of Castilla y Leon would serve de facto as buffer zones to the core areas on the southern edges.

Valle de Laciana, Spain The Advisory Committee recommended that this proposal be approved with the core areas reinstated as per the 2002 proposal. It recommended that an attempt be made to introduce buffer areas for the core areas on the southern edges in the same Province of Castilla y Leon. It further recommended that assurances be provided that appropriate contiguous areas in the Ashuias Province would serve as de facto buffer zones to the northern core areas.

Picos de Europa, Spain The Advisory Committee recommended that this proposal be approved with the core areas reinstated as per the 2002 proposal. It recommended that assurances be provided that appropriate contiguous areas in the three provinces concerned would serve as de facto buffer zones to the core areas lying at the outer edges. 4

The Advisory Committee furthermore noted that an annex to this proposal indicated h o w this site would be extended to cover the Picos de Europa Regional Park to the south, and areas to the north and west, thereby linking up with the existing Redes Biosphere Reserve

The Advisory Committee noted that such an extension was announced as being possible in the course of the following year, and recommended that this be pursued without delay and submitted to the Secretariat, with infomation on the coordination mechanism for this larger area.

Valles del Jubera, Leza, Cidacos y Alhama, Spain The Advisory Committee welcomed this proposal and noted the emphasis placed in this proposal to serve as a pilot area for implementing a regional strategy for sustainable development through a EU Leader + project, in the Province of Rioja.

The Advisory Committee recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve and requested that the Spanish authorities provide:

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o confirmation of endorsement of this proposal by the appropriate local representatives; more information on the establishment and conduct of the Comité de Gestión.

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Monfragiie, Spain The Advisory Committee welcomed this proposal and noted that this site was based on the Parque natural de Monfiagüe, representing the highly important Mediterranean dehesas systems.

The Advisory Committee recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve. It requested that firther information be provided on the protected status of the core area and buffer zones which lay within the biosphere reserve but which were not part of the Parque natural.

Cat B a Archipelago, Vietnam The Advisory Committee welcomed the resubmission of this coastavmarine archipelago proposal, which had been deferred in 2002. It commended the Vietnamese authorities on providing a revised zonation plan and welcomed the assurances of the Vietnamese authorities that a new authority in charge of the area had been created, which now comprised the national park authority and a People’s Committee. The Advisory Committee recommended that this site be approved as a biosphere reserve, subject to the endorsement of the nomination dossier by the central Govemment of Vietnam. The Advisory Committee also recommended that further information be provided as follows:

assurance that the development of new residential areas for tourism and industry would not affect unduly the biodiversity of the terrestrial and marine areas concerned; assurance that any relocation of local populations would be minimized and conducted in full consultation with them.

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Red River Delta, Vietnam The Advisory Committee noted that this coastal mangrove area was an important Ramsar site with fieshwater, marine and inter-tidal species, and that it benefited from a UNDP-GEF project and fì-om the UNESCO-ASPACO project. The Advisory Committee, however, recommended that this proposal be deferred, as additional information was needed to clarify the zonation pattern of the site. In particular, the Advisory Committee requested the Vietnamese authorities to:

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indicate the exact location of the Ramsar site in the zonation map; explain why the northern and southem parts of the proposed site contained no core area(s), but only buffer zone and transition area; clarify the land use between the central corehufferltransition aredzone and the southern bufferltransition zonelarea and whether a comdor could be established to link these two parts of the biosphere reserve; provide information on the existence of an overall biosphere reserve coordination committee or mechanism.

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The Advisory Committee fùrthennore suggested that this revision be undertaken in consultation with the authorities responsible for the implementation of the UNDP-GEF project.

Socotra Archipelago, Yemen The Advisory Committee commended the Yemen authorities on this comprehensive proposal on a significant archipelago, located in the and tropical zone, with a terrestrial area of 3,800

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km2 and a total area of 22,000 km2. It noted the high level of endemism of plant diversity, with the famous Dracaena cinnabari tree, of invertebrates. There was also a very rich and complex marine biodiversity, the archipelago being located at the cross roads between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The Advisory Committee noted the cultural importance of this site, with the 40,000 inhabitants speaking, in addition to Arabic, the unique Soqotri language. The transhumant indigenous people of the intenor were subsistent Bedouin farmers and pastoralists, while the coastal communities were engaged mostly in fishing and trade. The Advisory Committee noted the importance of supporting local communities in their efforts to attain sustainable development, and encouraged the Yemen Government to give particular attention to the sustainable development objective assigned to a biosphere reserve. It underlined the importance of this site for the region and for the ArabMAB network, as a significant contribution to the marine, coastal and terrestrial biosphere reserves of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. It also noted with appreciation the support of a UNDP-GEF project to the establishment of this site as a biosphere reserve. The Advisory Committee recommended that this proposal be approved.

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