Thirteen new Unesco Biosphere Reserves

Thirteen new sites have been added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, which now includes 631 sites in 119 countries, 14 of which are transboundary sites.  The new reserves were designated by the International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, at its meeting in Jönkoping (Sweden) and in the East Vättern Landscape biosphere reserve, from 10 to 13 June.

© UNESCO/Victoria Kovshar, Turtle Emys orbicularis - Ak-Zhayink (Kazakhstan)

These are the new sites and, on the other hand, the extensions of

• Bosque Seco (Ecuador)

• Mont-Viso/Area della Biosfera del Monviso transborder reserve (France/Italy)

• Sila (Italy)

• Minami-Alps (Japan)

• Tadami (Japan)

• Ak-Zhayik (Kazakhstan)

• Katon-Karagay (Kazakhstan)

• Mount Chilbo (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)

• Brighton and Lewes Downs (United Kingdom)   

• Ohrid-PrespaTransboundary Reserve (Republic of Albania/f Republic of Macedonia)

• Valdes Biosphere Reserve (Argentina)

• Crocker Range (Malaysia)

• Bioma Pampa-Quebradas del Norte (Uruguay)

• Laguna Oca del Río Paraguay Biosphere Reserve (Argentina) Extension

• Shiga Highland Biosphere Reserve (Japan) Extension

• Rhön Biosphere Reserve (Germany)

• Montseny Biosphere Reserve (Spain)

• Mancha Húmeda Biosphere reserve (Spain)

© UNESCO/Tadami, Tadami (Japon)

© UNESCO/Rich Howorth, Brighton & Hove and Lewes Downs (United Kingdom)