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New York, July 26 (IBNS): Protecting mangroves, tropical rainforests and other hotspots of biodiversity, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Culture (UNESCO) on Wednesday reinforced its global network of biosphere reserves. means that 686 unique natural sites in total are preserved globally.
"Preserving biodiversity and natural resource management in these ecosystems is a prerequisite for sustainable development," said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. things, biosphere reserves reconcile the conservation of biodiversity and human activity through the use of sustainable natural resources. "These sites are laboratories of harmonious interaction between people and nature, enabling progress in science and traditional knowledge." Azoulay. "They facilitate the sharing of knowledge, foster the interaction between science and society, and contribute to concrete improvements in the lives of local people."
Thanks to the new designations, a multitude of valuable areas representing Different terrains – as well as ecosystems that encompass marine, swampy, peaty forest and freshwater environments – are now preserved. Reserves are particularly important for biodiversity hotspots with vulnerable ecosystems such as coral reefs, dunes, swamps, mangroves and forests.
While the Republic of Moldova and Mozambique receive for the first time biosphere reserves the designated sites are Burkina Faso, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea – commonly known as North Korea; Ecuador; and India.
The newly-designated Lower Limet Biosphere Reserve of Moldova covers a mosaic of water, grassland and forest ecosystems. Agriculture provides 90% of the inhabitants' income. Three new sites are in Indonesia, two in Italy and Kazakhstan; and Iran, Madagascar, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), the Russian Federation, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and the United Republic of Tanzania are also represented. the newly designated Quirimbas comprise 11 islands with 3,000 floral species, of which 1,000 are endemic; 23 species of reptiles; 447 species of birds; 46 terrestrial mammal species, including four of the "Big Five" – elephants, lions, buffaloes and leopards – and eight species of marine mammals, including whales and dolphins.
Ecosystems support not only a number of activities of global importance, including fishing, agriculture, livestock and tourism, but also provide habitats for migratory birds, rare animals and endangered species.
These natural resources allow activities that are compatible with sustainable development and the protection of ancestral traditions. Reserves in Germany and Italy were expanded with name changes, while five in Australia, one in the Netherlands and one in the United States were removed from the network at the request of the countries.
Each year, the International Coordinating Council of the Program on Man and the Biosphere of UNESCO, adds new sites.
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