A Book On Biosphere Reserves in Preparation

An egret from the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve
Audubon Canyon Rance Bioresrve, California

The UNESCO/MAB Secretariat is now preparing a book on biosphere reserves, which is to be a global compilation of information on all the biosphere reserves in the world. The MAB Secretariat and the Spanish Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs have agreed to produce the book.

Potential contributors are invited to send a one-page description of your biosphere reserve to be included in the book to this address: bookmab@gmail.com. You should also obtain the template for submissions from the UNESCO secretariat.

The State Department provides a list of U.S. Biosphere Reserves on its website with links to their websites. About.com has a useful short discussion of UNESCO's biosphere reserves program. The George Wright Society has a useful facet of its website about the Man and the Biosphere program, which is UNESCO's umbrella program under which the World Network of Biosphere Reserves has been organized. (The GWS, headquartered in Michigan, is a nonprofit association of researchers, managers, administrators, educators, and other professionals who work on behalf of the scientific and heritage values of protected areas.) You might also be interested in an earlier book published by UNESCO on biosphere reserves.

Since the U.S. Man and the Biosphere Committee is now inactive, it is suggested that interested parties in the United States contact the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.