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UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (Revised)


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This is a revision of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Hopefully all of the comments and concerns are addressed. Your input about these revisions will assist in creating a new category that is informative and educational.

 

Instructions for Posting a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Waymark:

 

REQUIRED: Must be listed on the UNESCO website and the link must be provided below.

 

LIMITATION: The submitter is only allowed ONE waymark per UNESCO Biosphere.

 

EXCEPTION: If a Biosphere EXTENDS into two or more countries, only one waymark per country per waymarker is allowed.

 

Some of the UNESCO Biospheres are huge and do cross country's boundaries. More than one waymark is allowed by two or more different waymarkers as long as it meets the posting requirements: Sign and/or Visitor's Center and/or Nature Center and ONLY one waymark per submitter AND they must be over 50 km (30 miles) apart.

 

PHOTOGRAPHS: Good photographs are a must. The submitter must include at least three original images: One must be of a sign naming the specific UNESCO Biosphere (No World Heritage sites). Two must be of the general area, highlighting features of the Biosphere as indicated on the UNESCO website. If there is a visitor's center or nature center showing the areas included in the Biosphere, include a picture. NO photographs taken from the internet.

 

DEFAULT PHOTOGRAPH: Sign, or very interesting photograph of the Biosphere. This is subjective and the reviewers may change the default photograph.

 

WAYMARK NAME: You're REQUIRED to use a specific naming convention in titling your waymark to give each waymark its own unique name, along with the UNESCO Biosphere location, followed by the city and state/province and country. NO Swung dash or tilde.

For example: (UNESCO Biosphere name from the UNESCO site), city, state/province, country

Example: Frontenac Arch Biosphere - Lansdowne, Ontario, Canada

 

Failure to follow this title requirement will result in your waymark's being denied.

 

COORDINATES: Personally obtained coordinates must be obtained where the sign/s is/are located, visitor's center or nature center.

 

Coordinates must be at a public location with easy access for visitors.

 

LONG DESCRIPTION: The submitter must provide at least one paragraph (three sentences) about the UNESCO Biosphere location. (Personal observations are encouraged).

 

CITATIONS: If "some" of the information is taken from the UNESCO website or other source, it MUST be cited.

Failure to comply with this citation/s requirement will result in your waymark's being denied.

 

LANGUAGE: An English Translation is required. The English translation does not need to be perfect, just clear enough for the Officers and other viewers to understand the information provided. Black is preferred.

 

Provided a link to the UNESCO interactive map: http://en.unesco.org/countries

 

UNESCO Biospheres are indicated in RED on the map. Some do not link to the information sheet; however the name of the Biosphere is indicated. There is a "Member States List". Just select the first letter of the country. Usually, you can search by name to find information about the Biosphere. Wikipedia does provide information on UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, it must state that it is an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

 

RESTRICTION: The UNESCO Biosphere Reserves category WILL NOT accept any World Heritage Sites.

Required Variables:

 

UNESCO Biosphere Link

Size

Zone: Core Area, Buffer Zone, Transition Area (Drop down menu)

 

The following information will be at the top of the page when the category is edited.

 

The following was copied from the UNESCO: Biosphere Reserves – Learning Sites for Sustainable Development. Source: http://www.unesco.or...phere-reserves/

 

"Biosphere reserves are areas comprising terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems. Each reserve promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.

 

Biosphere reserves are ‘Science for Sustainability support sites’ – special places for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity.

 

Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Their status is internationally recognized.

 

There are 631 biosphere reserves in 119 countries, including 14 transboundary sites. They are distributed as follows:

 

64 in 28 countries in Africa

27 in 11 countries in the Arab States

130 in 23 countries in Asia and the Pacific

290 in 36 countries in Europe and North America

120 in 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Three zones, one biosphere reserve!

 

Biosphere reserves have three interrelated zones that aim to fulfil three complementary and mutually reinforcing functions:

 

The core area(s) comprises a strictly protected ecosystem that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation.

The buffer zone surrounds or adjoins the core areas, and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training and education.

The transition area is the part of the reserve where the greatest activity is allowed, fostering economic and human development that is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable."

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Greetings, Tante.Hossi, I appreciate your comments about the 3 required photographs. I gave this a lot of thought, and decided since the Biospheres are so large that at least two photographs of the area would give a better representation. One is for the sign or visitor's center or nature center.

 

To clarify the swung dash: a mark of punctuation ∼ used in place of a word or part of a word previously spelled out.

 

Tilde: a diacritic ~ placed over an n, as in Spanish mañana, to indicate a palatal nasal sound or over a vowel, as in Portuguese são, to indicate nasalization.

 

My example shows a hyphen or known as a dash -

 

Hyphen: a short line - used to connect the parts of a compound word or the parts of a word divided for any purpose.

 

Hyphen is sometimes referred as a dash.

 

Source: Dictionary.com

Edited by BK-Hunters
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Wow, that's a great category and a well written description. Thanks for all the efforts.

 

I might be a little late, but I would like to know a little more about the 50km distance rule. I live in Vienna, Austria and there are 2 biosphere reserves in short distance. One is the "Wienerwald" and the other one is the "Lobau". They are both (separately) listed on the UNESCO Website, but I think they are not 50 km apart. So, is there a chance that both will be accepted or will one of them win and one loose? :-)

 

Andreas

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Greetings Andreas, Thanks for your post about the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. As far as your question, I am inclined to say yes. As you stated they are two different biospheres listed with UNESCO that just maybe be less than 50 kms apart. Remember they both need to meet the posting requirements. Hope that helps.

 

Do not forget to vote when it is up for Peer Review.

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The UNESCO Biosphere Reserves is now in PEER Review. Now is the time to cast your vote.

 

We appreciate the suggestions, comments, and support from all of you and from the officers.

 

The descriptions have been revised from what was first posted above.

 

All of us with the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are looking forward to your submissions.

 

Barb and Keith

Edited by BK-Hunters
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