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| The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program: What’s It All About? |
 | | A biosphere reserve is a unique kind of protected area that differs from a national park, wilderness area, national forest, or wildlife refuge in havingthree very different, but equal, aims: conservation of genetic resources, species, and ecosystems; scientific research and monitoring; and promoting sustainable development in communities of the surrounding region. |
 | | Biosphere reserves are meant to be places where communities can work in concert with the area’s land-managing agencies, local governments, schools, and other institutions to design responses to external political, economic, and social pressures that affect the ecological and cultural values of the area. |
 | | A UNESCO Biosphere Conference in 1968 had brought together representatives of government and non-govermental organizations to consider what should be done about threats to the biosphere that were being increasingly perceived by U.N. Member States. After this, an International Co-ordinating Council was formed, which recommended convening panels of experts from the member states. |
| www.georgewright.org /mab.html (6048 words) |
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