UNESCO declares Albay a protected biosphere reserve

Albay
UNESCO Declares Albay a Protected Biosphere Reserve – www.plnmedia.com

UNESCO has declared Albay as one of many additions in its latest network of protected biosphere nature reserves around the world.

Albay is just one of 20 sites around the globe that were added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves during its meeting in Lima, Peru this month.

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UNESCO noted that Albay’s “high conservation value is constituted notably by its 182 terrestrial plant species, 46 which are endemic.”

“Its marine and coastal ecosystems number 12 species of mangrove, 40 species of seaweed or macro-algae, and 10 species of sea grass. Five of the world’s seven species of marine turtles are to be found in Albay,” UNESCO added.

UNESCO said biosphere reserves are “places for learning about sustainable development aiming to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with the sustainable use of natural resources.”

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“New reserves are designated each year by the International Coordinating Council of the Programme, which brings together elected representatives of 34 UNESCO Member States,” the cultural body said.

Aside from Albay, the following sites have also been declared biosphere reserves:

Monts de Tlemcen (Algeria)
Beaver Hills (Canada)
Tsá Tué (Canada)
Lake Bosomtwe (Ghana)
La Hotte (Haiti)
Agasthyamala (India)
Balambangan (Indonesia)
Hamoun (Iran)
Collina Po (Italy)
Barsakelmes (Kazakhstan)
Belo-sur-Mer-Kirindy-Mitea (Madagascar)
Isla Cozumel (Mexico)
Atlas Cedar (Morocco)
Gran Pajatén (Peru)
Fajãs de São Jorge (Portugal)
Tejo/Tajo (Portugal and Spain)
Jozani-Chwaka Bay (Tanzania)
Isle of Man (United Kingdom)

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The following areas, meanwhile, were approved by the body as extensions to existing biosphere reserves:

Trifinio Fraternidad (Honduras)
Toscana (Italy)
Mount Hakusan (Japan)
Yakushima and Kuchinoerabu Jima (Japan)
Mount Odaigahara, Mount Omine and Osugidani Biosphere Reserve (Japan)
Noroeste Amotapes – Manglares (Peru)
Mont Sorak (Republic of Korea)
Shinan Dadohae (Republic of Korea)
Wester Ross (United Kingdom)

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