Two more reserves in China join UNESCO world biosphere network

UNESCO on Saturday announced the designation of 26 new biosphere reserves in 21 countries, including two in China, marking a tremendous achievement in the country's sustainable development. 

Biosphere reserves are sites designated under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, which rests in the principle of mankind living in harmony with nature. UNESCO describes these reserves as "learning places for sustainable development" that integrate biodiversity conservation with sustainable use of ecosystems.

The 37th Session of the Man and the Biosphere International Coordinating Council, held in east China's Hangzhou City, brought the world network of biosphere reserves to 785 sites across 142 countries. The Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has officially joined UNESCO's world biosphere network, marking the first time a protected area on the northern slopes of China's Qinling Mountains has received such international recognition.

Spanning 690 square kilometers on both the northern and southern slopes of the Qinling Range, the Zhouzhi reserve is 96 percent forested and rises to 2,904 meters above sea level. Its striking vertical vegetation zones shelter more than 3,630 species of wild flora and fauna, including the Qinling giant pandas, golden snub-nosed monkeys and golden takins.

"This is a tremendous achievement for the Zhouzhi reserve. We hope that, with this honor, it will fulfill the core concept of the MAB Programme by performing its three key functions: conservation, support and sustainable development," said Wang Ding, secretary general of the Chinese National Committee for MAB Programme.

Along with Zhouzhi reserve, the other Chinese site designated is Daqingshan Biosphere Reserve in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Covering nearly 3,900 square kilometers in the central Yinshan Mountains, Daqingshan is the richest biodiversity hotspot in the region. The reserve is home to nearly 1,200 higher plant species, 300 vertebrate species and 1,800 arthropod species.

(Cover: A golden snub-nosed monkey is seen in Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi Province, northwest China, April 9, 2023. /VCG)