Two new UNESCO biosphere reserves in Zambia and Zimbabwe!

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) has approved the designation of 11 new biosphere reserves in 9 countries, including the Kafue Flats Biosphere Reserve in central and southern Zambia and the Chimanimani Biosphere Reserve in eastern Zimbabwe. With the new designations, the World Network of Biosphere Reserves totals 738 biosphere reserves in 134 countries, including 22 transboundary sites (90 sites in 33 countries in Africa). These additions were decided by the 34th session of the International Co-ordinating Council, the governing body UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme, which is composed of 34 representatives of UNESCO Member States. The Council was meeting from 13 to 17 June 2022 at UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris.



The Kafue Flats Biosphere Reserve in central and southern Zambia has a size of more than 2,600,000 ha and cuts across various districts that are of archaeological and historical significance, as well as a Ramsar site and an Important Bird Area. The biosphere reserve is home to over 400 bird species and several mammal species, such as zebra, buffalo, hippopotamus and the endemic Kafue lechwe.



The Chimanimani Biosphere Reserve in eastern Zimbabwe comprises a mosaic of mountains, forests, grasslands and shrubs, along with freshwater ecosystems. The landscape extends into Mozambique, forming part of a proposed transboundary biosphere reserve that would extend into the East African montane ecosystem, which is a global biodiversity hotspot

Rwanda: The Gishwati-Mukura Landscape has been named an UNESCO biosphere reserve!

The Gishwati-Mukura landscape in Rwanda’s Western Province has been named among the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) during a session of the International Co-coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere Programme held on 28 October 2020. The Gishwati-Mukura landscape joins the Volcanoes Biosphere Reserve in north-west Rwanda, which was inducted into the network in 1983. Speaking on the UNESCO designation, Belise Kariza, Chief Tourism Officer, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said:

"As Rwanda's newest national park, the Gishwati-Mukura landscape is incredibly beautiful and rich in unique and valuable biodiversity. Rwanda  has been working to protect and restore the area by investing in nature based solutions and forest landscape restoration. I commend the efforts of all partners whose tireless work has led to the biosphere reserve status we celebrate today. Conservation not only preserves our natural heritage for future generations, but also plays an important role in fostering ecotourism as a pillar of economic development."

The Gishwati-Mukura National Park was gazetted as Rwanda's fourth national park in 2016. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB), a government department that integrates all government agencies responsible for the attraction, retention and facilitation of investments in Rwanda's economy, took over its management in 2019. The park is made up of two separate forests – the larger Mukura and smaller Gishwati – which are located within the landscape. The forests sit on the ridge which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the biodiverse Albertine Rift.

eSwatini gets first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve!

The Kingdom of Eswatini got its first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Lubombo Biosphere Reserve is one of the 18 new sites in 12 countries which got added to World Network of Biosphere Reserves by the UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme. The new additions were approved at the Paris meeting from 17 - 21 June 2019 of the International Co-ordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme.

The Lubombo Biosphere Reserve is located in the Lubombo Mountain Range, which forms the eastern border of Eswatini with Mozambique and South Africa. The 294,020 hectares reserve is part of the Maputoland-Phondoland-Albany Biodiversity Hotspot. Twenty of the eighty-eight mammal species in the area, can only be found in the Lubombo region. Notable among these mammals are Leopard, White Rhino, Tsessebe, Roan Antelope, Cape Buffalo and Suni. The Lubombo Biosphere Reserve's ecosystems include forest, wetland and savannah. The reserve is home to numerous conservation and monitoring projects, as well as commercial enterprises, industry, agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry.

North West Province: Marico is South Africa's 10th UNESCO Biosphere Reserve!

The Marico Biosphere Reserve, located in South Africa's North West Province, has been added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by the members of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB) Council. The official announcement for the inclusion of the area was made at the 30th International Coordinating Council sessions of Man and Biosphere Programme in Indonesia (23 - 28 July 2018). South Africa's 10th UNESCO Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 447 268.48 ha and comprises a unique freshwater ecosystem which includes the Molemane, Molopo and Marico river systems. It is home to 73 species of mammal such as African elephants, black rhinoceros and lions. The main economic activities are subsistence agriculture, livestock, game ranching and tourism.
 

Garden Route declared an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve!

South Africa's Garden Route has been declared an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve by the members of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB) Council at a meeting in Paris on 14 June 2017. The Garden Route Biosphere Reserve (GRBR) is located within the Cape Floristic biodiversity hotspot region along the southern coast of South Africa. It has a total area of 698,363 ha (212,375 ha core, 288,032 ha buffer, 197,956 ha transition) and a population of 450,624 people. The Garden Route Biosphere Reserve includes the Tsitsikamma, Goukamma and Robberg Marine protected areas, Wilderness Lake Ramsar site, Garden Route National Park and two components of the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas World Heritage site: the Nelson Bay Cave and the Langkloof Valley, this latter being critically endangered.
The municipalities included in the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve (GRBR) are the Eden District Municipality and Sarah Baartman District Municipality as well as the local municipalities of George, Knysna, Bitou, Kouga and Koukamma.
The Garden Route Biosphere Reserve (GRBR) is the ninth such reserve to be declared in South Africa.