Unesco has designated the Mount Elgon Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, shared by Uganda and Kenya, and the Rufiji-Mafia-Kibiti-Kilwa Biosphere Reserve (Rumaki) in Tanzania, among the 11 new biosphere reserves. These additions were decided by the International Coordinating Council of Unesco’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme, during a meeting in Paris, last month.
With these new designations, the World Network now totals 748 sites in 134 countries, including 23 transboundary sites.
Each biosphere reserve promotes innovative local solutions, in order 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.
Biosphere reserves enable countries achieve the targets such as designating 30 percent of the Earth’s land surface as protected areas and restoring 30 percent of the planet’s degraded ecosystems by 2030.
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“Unesco biosphere reserves are tangible proof that humanity can live in balance with nature. I am pleased that this year, 11 more sites are joining this powerful network,” said Audrey Azoulay, Unesco director-general.
Kenya, Uganda: Mt Elgon Transboundary Biosphere Reserve
The designation of the Mt Elgon Transboundary Biosphere Reserve provides a range of ecosystem functions and supporting forests, wildlife and livelihoods in the area.
Home to more than 300 bird species, the reserve has a diversity of ecosystems as well as plant and animal species distributed across four distinct ecological zones characterised by different vegetation types, mixed montane forest, bamboo and low canopy forest, sub-alpine montane heath, and alpine moorland varying with altitude.
Communities rely on gathering forest products such as firewood, fodder, medicinal plants, vegetables, bamboo shoots, stakes, mushrooms, thatching grass and salt for their cattle.
The executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority Sam Mwandha said the declaration of Mt Elgon as a biosphere reserve shows the role the mountain plays in linking the community livelihoods and conservation of the ecosystem.
“UWA now has opportunity to work with Kenya on programmes that enhance ecosystem health as well as improvement of community livelihoods,” said Mr Mwandha. “Despite the challenges of limited land, we have good community support. This will be enhanced as we recruit additional community conservation staff and deploy rangers against encroachment.”
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Tanzania: Rufiji-Mafia-Kibiti-Kilwa (Rumaki) Biosphere Reserve
The Rumaki Biosphere Reserve is located in Lindi (Kilwa district) and Pwani (Rufiji, Mafia and Kibiti districts). The area is a complex marine ecosystem that includes the first marine protected area in Tanzania, the Mafia Island Marine Park.
It comprises a mosaic of tropical marine habitats, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves and intertidal areas that support populations of turtles, migrating birds, dolphins and whale sharks.
The Rumaki seascape is recognised as the most biologically productive and diverse marine area in Tanzania and East Africa. The biosphere reserve contains two cultural World Heritage sites which, along with Mafia Island, are the best-known tourist destinations in the biosphere reserve.
Source: The East African
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