The Chitral Bashkar Garmchashma Biosphere Reserve. Photo courtesy UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) last week designated 11 new biosphere reserves, including two from Pakistan—the Gallies Biosphere Reserve and the Chitral Bashkar Garmchashma Biosphere Reserve.
Detailing its reasons for designating the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa regions as biosphere reserves, UNESCO said Chitral Bashkar Garmchashma was located in the Chitral district of the province, bordering Afghanistan. “The Chitral area has spectacular landscapes with 543 glaciers and 31 mountain ranges reaching altitudes of 7,000m and more above sea level, including three peaks in Tirich Mir,” it said, adding that the site sustains populations of several near-threatened or vulnerable species, including the Kashmir Markhor, Siberian Ibex, Ladakh Urial, and the Snow Leopard.
“The biosphere reserve is home to a population of 210,000, as well as to the unique Chitral culture developed over many millennia across more than a dozen distinct peoples and many languages, including endangered Indo-Aryan languages such as Kalasha and Kalashamum,” it said. “The natural beauty and cultural diversity of the biosphere reserve make it a popular and growing destination for ecotourism,” it added.
The Gallies Biosphere Reserve. Photo courtesy UNESCO
On the Gallies Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO said it was in a moist-temperate Western Himalayan Ecoregion that had been globally-recognized as being of international significance for biodiversity conservation owing to an abundance of endangered or threatened species such as the Common Leopard. “The site comprises highly diversified ecosystems, including sub-alpine meadows and conifer forests, moist temperate forests and subtropical pine forests,” it said, adding that it had a population of 70,000.
“Thanks to the region’s rich cultural heritage and unique natural environment, tourism plays a vital socioeconomic role. Local authorities have developed a variety of infrastructure for tourists, including walking treks, chairlifts, horse riding and camping facilities, as well as tourist information centers which cater to approximately 2.5 million visitors per year,” it said.
Additionally, UNESCO also designated the Korup Rainforest Biosphere Reserve in Cameroon; the Protected Area Complex of Northeast Central African Republic Biosphere Reserve in the Central African Republic; the Tribugá-Cupica-Baudó Biosphere Reserve in Colombia; the Drömling Biosphere Reserve in Germany; the Bantimurung Bulusaraung-Ma’Rupanne Biosphere Reserve in Indonesia; the Mount Elgon Transboundary Biosphere Reserve straddling Kenya and Uganda; the Onon-Balj Biosphere Reserve in Mongolia; the Bicentenario-Ayacucho Biosphere Reserve in Peru; and the Rufiji-Mafia-Kibiti-Kilwa Biosphere Reserve in Tanzania.
UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program, said the global body, has thus far approved the designation of 748 sites in 134 countries, including 23 transboundary sites, as biosphere reserves. It said these biosphere reserves are tangible proof that humanity can live in balance with nature. “Since 1971, this community-led program has successfully found a model for development where people live well and biodiversity is respected,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay wrote in a statement. She said each biosphere reserve promoted innovative local solutions to conserve biodiversity, preserve ecosystems and tackle climate change, while improving people’s livelihoods, such as by developing agro-ecology, renewable sources of energy and green industries.