A new report (25.0.6.20) by the UK National Commission for UNESCO shows UNESCO projects can help build a greener, more equal and more peaceful world, while also creating financial value.
In total, UNESCO projects in the UK generate over £150 million of financial benefit to local communities each year.

Embracing Global Geoparks, World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves and Creative Cities these projects help bring together hundreds of local partners to protect and conserve some of the most important places in the country.
 
The report is the first to examine the cultural, environmental and financial benefits to UK life from these diverse UNESCO projects, and their active contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. Along with preserving precious landscapes, buildings and archives, UNESCO projects are also leading research on vital issues such as water scarcity, refugee integration, climate change and child literacy.
The full report can be downloaded here: https://unesco.org.uk/national-value/
 

​On 19 June 2019 the Isle of Wight's application to join the World network of Biosphere Reserves was finally accepted.  We offer our sincerest congratulations to everyone involved in achieving this fantastic result.

Full details of the event, plus the presentation video, can be found here:
https://www.unesco.org.uk/portfolio/isle-of-wight-press-release/

At the UK BR National committee meeting in Dublin on 1 April the following updates were received from the UK Biosphere Reserves:

Dyfi
 
The LEADER-funded Cooperation Project has continued to facilitate collaboration in the following areas:

1. Education: Jane Powell of LEAF reported on her exploratory work with schools and with members of the Dyfi Biosphere Education Group. There is continuing enthusiasm for collaboration under the Biosphere banner but much reduced capacity for this. The New Curriculum in Wales will offer new opportunities for teachers to use the local natural environment in delivering a rounded education, and there is serious interest in using the Biosphere as context.
2. Food and Drink: Ecodyfi is exploring with the hospitality sector how to increase the use and promotion of local, fresh and seasonal produce. Primary and secondary producers are now part of the conversation, and this loose cluster of businesses is likely to develop a sub-brand of the Dyfi Biosphere. The next step is to clarify the criteria for its use - on products as well as on business literature.
3. Farming: Gwyn Jones has been contracted to facilitate discussions between (and with) farmers about whether and how the Biosphere could help their business planning post-Brexit.

 
A new 18-month project called Mixed Farming: Histories and Futures starts in April 2019, co-funded by LEADER and the Ashley Family Foundation, and a new 12-month project called Dyfi Biosphere Outdoor Health starts in April 2019, funded by Welsh Government..
 
Three Town Councils in the Biosphere have declared Climate Emergencies, and the Biosphere Partnership is considering how to support the resulting action planning.
 
Contractors WSP with the BRO Partnership have completed the reports commissioned by Natural Resources Wales that will allow the Biosphere Partnership to submit a Periodic Review this year.
 
 
Galloway and Southern Ayrshire
 

• A further eight businesses have gone through Biosphere Certification ranging from local B&B to venison farm to wood chip manufacturer.
• Continue to work closely with Visit Scotland (VS). A member of the team joined VS at an international marketing event in Amsterdam promoting the GSAB. Also working with VS on;
• UNESCO Biosphere Trail – in GSAB we have a small sub group working to explore what our distinctive offer should be through the trail;
• South of Scotland Marketing Campaign;
• iKnow Partnership agreement between GSAB Charter sign ups and VS offering training, promotion etc.
• GSAB hosted Katriona Carmichael, Deputy Director for Land Use at The Scottish Government, and members of her team in the Biosphere, exploring work GSAB has been doing to promote a more integrated approach to future land use and the potential role the Biosphere could play in leading a Regional Land Use Partnership.
• In partnership with the Galloway National Park group, we are meeting with Mairi Gougeon MSP, Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment, at the end of April, to raise the profile of SW Scotland natural and cultural environment and the shared objectives of the proposed national park and Biosphere in using them to stimulate the local economy.
• We are still delivering three key projects in the Biosphere that are furthering awareness of the Biosphere: PLACE, Biosphere Experiences and SHAPE + Guide Training. All three finish in spring 2020, so thoughts are turning to what next to ensure we still have officers pushing the biosphere message. Current possibilities being considered focus on further use of the Sense of Place toolkit with communities and small businesses in the region to further the Biosphere Community message.
• GSAB continues to be a key partner in supporting the development and delivery of two c. £5M HLF Landscape Partnership Schemes, run by Dumfries & Galloway Council and East Ayrshire Council respectively.
• We are working with the James Hutton Institute on their research into the GSAB Sense of Place toolkit and how it can used to map cultural ecosystem services. They have joined us for two community workshops, and we are planning a third larger event in Girvan, a small south Ayrshire town.
• Through INTERFACE, we are working with MSc students from Strathclyde University, who are carrying out research into the economic value of the UNESCO Biosphere brand for marketing products, services and packaged experiences. Start up meetings and initial presentations have taken place.
• Ayrshire College Level 4 Professional Cookery students have developed and submitted a menu for World Biodiversity Day on 22nd May;
  • Starter - Roasted venison loin with blackcurrants and shredded leeks
  • Main - Navarin of lamb printaniere
  • Dessert - St Clements cheesecake with caramelised orange

 
Isle of Man
 

• We hosted visits from Dr Meriem Bouamrane, Programme Specialist, UNESCO MAB Programme, and Professor Dr Enny Sudarmonowati, Chair of the MAB International Coordinating Council; they provided us with good insight into activity and opportunities globally.
• We are creating a local vision and strategy for UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man, and have held workshops with stakeholders and will consult more widely.
• As part of our strategy to reduce the impact of single-use plastics on the environment, we launched Refill Isle of Man, part of Refill UK run by City to Sea in January 2019. We already have more than 100 Refill stations signed up.
• We attended Destinations: the Holiday and Travel Show in London with Visit Isle of Man (February 2019). UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man was also featured heavily on the Isle of Man stand at the International Food Exhibition in London (March 2019).
• We hosted training for the Guild of Manx Registered Tour Guides, who will incorporate Biosphere messaging and signage into their service.
• With Girl-guiding Isle of Man, we launched a Biosphere Badge for the movement in the Isle of Man, with members working towards fulfilling elements of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• In April 2019, the Isle of Man Government launched a £250,000 Island Community Fund, administered by Manx Lottery Trust, to assist projects that are in line with the Biosphere ethos.
• We continue to grow our Partnership scheme and have 170 Partners.
• We submitted two dishes to UNESCO for the project for World Biodiversity Day, 22nd May: Manx queenies and bonnag.

 
 
North Devon
 

• Road signs are now in place at the main road entrances to the BR. Constraints of Highway sign law restricted the amount of information and potential locations of the signs.  The advent of the signs has signaled the start of a set of public campaigns. This includes a campaign for Plastic Free North Devon and another called Pledge for Nature.
• Along with the AONB, the BR is developing a project for GP green/social prescribing to link with GP surgeries in 3 towns and offer some nature based activities via “community connectors” to bridge the surgery to environmental activity.
• The SWEEP programme is in 2nd round of research project delivery. The new projects include monitoring the health activity as in the above project, improving interpretation of ESA remote sensing data, and marine based work on ecosystem services.
• The Landscape Pioneer Project is developing the basis for better local decision making and including the natural capital in the local health and wellbeing board for example. Through the Pioneer we are testing the Net Gain policy, developing the New Environment land management scheme test and trials.
• The Marine Pioneer has funding to develop a Marine Natural Capital Plan (plus). This will draw together the varius sub-programmes of the Pioneer, including the natural capital audit and risk register.
• Along with the landscape pioneer approaches to innovative finance will be developed for key capital enhancements. This includes how we develop a natural capital trust in and for the BR.
• The Pioneer programmes have combined efforts on how to improve communication about concepts such as natural capital and the pioneers with WWF and EA funding short films.
• Woods for water project now has Water environment grant approval for 2 years. (£380K)
• Natural Flood management is being piloted in coast and catchments. The EA are using the BR to test the natural capital accounting tool to help with Flood Risk management financing in a small test catchment. DWT are also being funded from Interreg for NFM measure on the culm grassland.
• BCHT Interreg project had a successful kick off meeting. The Masterplanning tool kit is being designed with University of Exeter and North Devon. (Audomarois leading from the French side.
• Future work: Circular economy promotion. A potential briefing event at the house of lords. And a Mid term review of BR strategy

 
 
Wester Ross
 
The main achievement of WRB since the last UK MAB meeting was the launch of our 5-year Strategic Plan in Ullapool in February by the Convener of the Highland Council. Despite (or perhaps because of) the poor weather, we had a good/respectable turn-out from a geographical spread.
 
Our thematic working groups are making progress, particularly Tourism, Natural Heritage and Education, all of whom are developing partnerships with other organisations in our area. The main thrust of the SHAPE project is the developing a Destination Management Plan for Wester Ross. The Natural Heritage group is concentrating on woodlands and the Education group is building up a rapport with our 3 local high schools.
 
We continue our participation in developing the UNESCO National Trail in Scotland.
 
Financial support continues to be an issue as we get so near to obtaining funding and then our hopes are dashed. SNH have been very supportive and we have been pledged some money for next financial year so that we can maintain our Co-ordinator on a part-time basis – not ideal, but better than no Co-ordinator! 

The UK National Committee for UNESCO’s Man & the Biosphere (MAB) Programme met at the Royal Ocean Yacht Club in Cowes, IoW, for their half-yearly meeting on 30 October 2018.

The following updates were received from the individual Biosphere Reserves:

Brighton & Lewes Downs

• The EU Interreg Channel funded ‘Bio Cultural Heritage Tourism’ (BCHT) project has now started in practice, working in partnership with North Devon BR (lead) and 2 French Biospheres. A local project officer for our Biosphere has started work, based at VisitBrighton, and a launch conference is planned to be held in Devon on 14-15th November.
• A local stakeholder meeting was held in July on Natural Capital, Green Infrastructure and planned development in Brighton & Hove, entitled ‘Growing Our Living City’, to explore future ideas for environmental enhancements alongside built development. Inputs have also been given to the Brighton & Hove City Plan Part 2 consultation on the city’s local development framework.
• A number of proposals (up to 7) for new Sustainable Drainage Schemes (SuDS) in urban greenspace are being progressed locally, following the pilot sites that we created in 2016 that were used as a case study through a rain gardens video at a UN SDGs meeting in New York in July 2018.
• A new digital arts project has been launched to the public – The Living Coast Undersea Experience – a new virtual reality (VR) creation that enables people to have the sensation of exploring the diversity of our local underwater marine environment of the Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) of ‘Beachy Head West’. A funding bid has also been submitted by a leading arts partner to develop new creative interpretation features for the MCZ working with local schools.
• Communications work has included a jointly branded cycle ride around ‘The Living Coast’ (TLC) in July, and co-branded large flags with local partners along the coast.  
• We are commencing review of our Biosphere Management Strategy (2014-19), in order to create a revised version for the next five-year period.

 
Dyfi

1. Update on the development project co-funded by LEADER and the local authorities:

• The contract to re-engage education providers and strengthen practical links with schools has just finished. The report will be available very soon. The Dyfi Biosphere Education Group does not have the capacity to function as a proactive entity but several providers are working with several schools and the information network will continue. A relationship or merger with the Dyfi cluster of Outdoor Learning Wales is being explored.
• The contract to develop the food and drink cluster of visitor-oriented businesses has been extended to the end of 2018.

Discussions about farmer involvement continue. Ecodyfi is developing a funding application based on stimulating interest in a return to mixed farming, involving integration of land use data and oral histories, so as to remember what crops used to be grown on some of the current pasture land and explore ecosystem services.

• The future of farming has become controversial and is a delicate space to work in, for two main reasons:

• Welsh Government’s consultation on farm and rural support Brexit and Our Land proposes stopping basic payments and switching to supporting provision of public goods, prompting the farming unions to argue strongly for a delay in this, as in Scotland and N Ireland.
• The Summit to Sea project (to re-establish natural functioning of ecosystems and to support compatible livelihoods, fronted by the Woodland Trust and Rewilding Britain) has been funded and has raised hackles of farmers and others who see it as cultural imperialism and react to the word rewilding.

• As part of the evaluation, CamNesa will undertake a desk study and secondary research exercise to identify sources of information that will support the need to develop the Dyfi Biosphere, with a particular focus on the level of understanding of the designation within the business community, groups and individuals who reside within the area.

1. Communications.

• A new facebook page @dyfibiosphere has been set up, and the Instagram account under same handle has been revitalised. Both are bilingual and visitor-facing, and complement the existing @biosfferdyfi facebook page which has a broader agenda.
• A new leaflet is needed.

1. The Transition Zone is likely to be extended a little by including 3 additional Town and Community Council areas.
2. A successful Annual Meeting was held in Aberystwyth on June 12th.
3. The final Business Plan for Interreg funding for the Dyfi-Dublin Bay ‘Biosphere Eco-Tourism and Recreation Loop’ has been submitted.
4. Iolo ap Gwynn has been succeeded as Partnership Chair by Cllr Ray Quant, Deputy Leader of Ceredigion County Council.

 
Galloway and Southern Ayrshire

• Biosphere Certification scheme launched in June 2018 by Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop with 3 pilot businesses. A further 7 local businesses have applied ranging from accommodation providers to venison farmers to wood pellet manufacturers.
• Working closely with Visit Scotland to promote the Biosphere as a destination through;
  • UNESCO Biosphere Trail
  • South of Scotland Marketing Campaign
  • International marketing event in Amsterdam
  • VIP Partnership agreement between GSAB Charter sign ups and VS offering training, promotion etc.
• We are currently focused on delivering three key projects running in the Biosphere that are all furthering awareness of the Biosphere;
  • HLF PLACE £200k project, 2 years’ duration, working with nine communities in three defined ‘landscape areas’ promoting, enhancing and protecting heritage of the area. Two project officers supported by two 8-week duration intern positions.
  • Biosphere Experiences £120k project, 18 months’ duration, packaging activities to promote the Biosphere as a tourism destination.
  • SHAPE developing eco-tourism opportunities based and natural and cultural assets through developing new partnerships and networks.
• GSAB is a key partner in supporting the development and delivery of two circa £5M HLF Landscape Partnership Schemes run by D&G Council and East Ayrshire Council respectively.
• Working with James Hutton Institute who are doing research into the GSAB Sense of Place toolkit and how we use it with communities.
• INTERFACE research through Strathclyde Uni into the economic value of the UNESCO Biosphere brand for marketing products, services and packaged experiences.

 
Isle of Man

• The Isle of Man Government in July published a plan to reduce single use plastics within the public service and has appointed sustainability champions in ach Department to drive this, with Biosphere input and in line with Biosphere ethos. A wider, cross-community strategy is being prepared.
• We have pledged support for the World Network of Coastal and Island BRs’ project to reduce the impact plastics have on seas and shores.
• In September, nine new marine nature reserves in Isle of Man waters came into being to protect species and habitats while preserving the needs of the fishing industry and leisure users. This follows the pioneering Ramsey Bay model. An environment reporter from The Guardian has visited the Island in this context and we await the feature they will publish.
• We held our first Biosphere awards in October. They attracted 30 entries in four categories: environment, energy, education and public awareness and economic sustainability.
• A busy summer of public events closed on Friday 19th October when we participated in 10K Day. celebrating charity Beach Buddies’ 10,000th volunteers and involving five local schools. At the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival, we captured BBC1 Countryfile presenter Adam Henson talking in good terms about Biospheres and also gained valuable UK media coverage. Food producers continue to leverage Biosphere to boost buy-in/trade.
• We are involved in the launch of a charitable project to create an Irish Sea Centre to serve as a hub for information gathering and good practice, public awareness, innovation and research by all those ‘sharing’ the sea’ and hosted a visit by the Irish Sea Maritime Forum in connection with same.
• We are visited (same time as IoW) by Meriem Bouamrane, programme specialist, UNESCO MAB. We will also welcome ICC chair Dr Enny Sudarmonowati at the end of November.
• We plan to launch a Refill scheme, a ‘Biosphere Badge’ for Guides, have plans for a quilting project and an arts festival…lots and lots more but am out of words.
• We now have 142 Biosphere partners across Government, business, community, charity etc, signed up the ‘Pledge’.

 
North Devon

• The Interreg BCHT project has been approved and the grant offer letter signed with the project about to have its kick off conference at Saunton Sands November 14th and 15th. There are spaces available for the UK MaB committee.
• We are carrying out a number of projects related to water: 1) Estuary project: to reduce Faecal indicators in the waters immediately around the estuary basin providing grants for the farmers for land based and constructed wetland interventions. 2) Woods for Water: operating over 3 main catchments to encourage tree planting for attenuating waterflows and pollution form land. 3) 2 Natural Flood Management programmes: coastal and small catchment. EA are now asking the BR to provide estimated costs to run a further set and to incorporate cost benefits derived from our ecosystem service planning tool.
• For the pioneers we are now  ready to design the trial for the new agri-environment scheme and also be an early user of the new biodiversity metric tool for achieving net gain from development. A secondee form Highways England is helping with the net-gain approach.
• Marine pioneer is progressing well with the application submitted to EMFF to produce a marine natural capital plan over the coming 18 months.
• The forestry related work is progressing with the inclusion of PAWS restoration and extension services models to get woodlands back into management.
• The Joint North Devon and Torridge Local Plan is now agreed and firmly embeds the BR and the concept of using ecosystem services to assist in development management decisions.
• Community engagement work is starting on marine plastics; the road signs will be put in place soon, and we are developing films on farming as a pre Brexit documentation. WWF UK are in partnership with Sky-Ocean Rescue to build campaigns around marine protected areas.
• We have an excellent relationship with a group of GPs which is leading to a community wellbeing project.
• The science partnership is working well. We already have a new scientific publication on cost prioritisation for new intertidal habitats through SWEEP.

 
Wester Ross

• The WRB 5 year Strategic Plan is near completion. Mairi Gougeon MSP, SG Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment has agreed to launch our Plan. Working Groups have been set up to cover the strategic themes within the plan to identify projects that can be taken forward and money sought for projects rather than the reverse. Also they will bring a wider range of folk into the WRB.
• Tourism is important to the economy of Wester Ross. There is work to be done due to the phenomenal impact in a short period of time of the success of the North Coast 500.  As part of the SHAPE project, working with our Tourism Working Group, we are taking forward the production of a Destination Management Plan (The first for Scotland).  Hopefully this will provide some sort of solution to the issues raised by the North Coast 500.
• WRB also continues to be part of work going on to identify gaps in provision of marine tourism along West Coast of Scotland. 

The UK MAB Committee gathered at Malahide Castle in Dublin on 8 January for our first meeting of 2018.  We were generously hosted by colleagues from Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve, and on the day following the meeting, engaged in a very interesting planning session for the EuroMAB conference that will be held in Dublin in 2019.

At the main committee meeting, updates were received from each of the UK Biosphere Reserves:

Brighton and Lewes Downs (BLDBR)
BLDBR submitted a detailed funding application on ‘BioCultural Heritage Tourism’ to the EU Interreg Channel programme , working in partnership with North Devon BR (lead) and 2 French Biospheres.
A third phase of delivering our innovative environmental education programme ‘Our Water Matters’ to 300 primary school children in Newhaven and Peacehaven took place in the summer term, with funding from South East Water. We also sponsored a local youth ambassador to participate in the MAB Youth Forum meeting in September in Italy.
We have worked to support the capacity of the voluntary sector to collaborate on the care of urban greenspace through the establishment of the Brighton & Hove Green Spaces Forum the Green Havens network in Newhaven/Peacehaven.   
We have invested significant resources in to the promotion of its new identity of ‘The Living Coast’ in 2017 through its website www.thelivingcoast.org.uk and use of social media channels Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (including pro bono support from a local digital agency). The website promotion includes an innovative interactive ‘Explore TLC’ map for people to discover what lies on our doorstep.

​
Biosffer Dyfi Biosphere
The two-year development project co-funded by LEADER and the local authorities has focussed on two priorities. The first is to engage more children and young people and the second is to help businesses explore how to use the Dyfi Biosphere brand. The appointed officer made some progress but left at the end of August and has not been replaced. Instead, contractors are being sought to carry out specific pieces of work.
One contract will re-engage education providers, strengthening practical links with schools and (probably) farmers. The development of the new curriculum in Wales presents excellent opportunities, as it will include a focus on community connection and on developing global citizens.
The second will develop the food and drink cluster of visitor-oriented businesses, improving and promoting local provenance and links to landscape.
Five delegates benefitted from attending the UNESCO MAB Youth Forum. Other international contacts included a visit by a member of the Education Group to the Isle of Man BR, hosted by the Farming and Wildlife Group, and a presentation by social enterprise Cletwr at the economies in Biospheres event organised by the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano Biosphere and OASIIS in October 2017.
 
 
Galloway and Southern Ayrshire

1. 5- year core funding supplemented by annual commitments from SNH and FCS. Provides 0.6 FTE for co-ordinator and business development roles, plus some administration support.
2. Restructuring the Partnership Board concluded. Board 16 members and small group fulfilling the dual role of trustees and management committee.
3. Accreditation scheme for businesses moved to pilot stage with three businesses
4. Socio-economic base-line study by University of Glasgow launched in September.
5. Successful application to the HLF Great Place Scheme . Allows employment two project officers for two years to work with communities in three distinctive landscape areas
6. Ayrshire  Learning Partnership with Ayrshire College launched in September. The aim is to create live briefs for students that have a focus on the Biosphere. 
7. In partnership with Forest Enterprise hosted an international Dark Skies Conference in September.
8. Two officers attended the first World Youth Forum for Biospheres in Italy
9. Working in SHAPE project

 
 
North Devon
Despite some severe cutback in the core budget of the BR from the local authorities due to austerity measures, the BR has developed and is now implementing a range of projects and has recently engaged in the Defra Pioneers associated with the government’s forthcoming 25 Year Environment Plan.
Cutbacks have led to the reduction of 1.4 FTE in the permanent team to leave 1.6 FTE in place. The implementation of some of the projects has now led to the recruitment of 2.2 FTE largely as project management rolls, and more expected as other projects come on line.
The recent governance changes switch the emphasis from the BR team from being a mixed strategic body and implementation body to one of more coordination and intelligence and commissioning work through partners.
The governance structure of working groups appears to be working well in developing true partnership projects.
The main strategic work at the moment is associated with the Defra Pioneers. The landscape pioneer and the Marine pioneer we chosen to be applied in the BR due to the leading work already done in north Devon. These projects are designed to test the natural capital approach, improve decision making, use new tools and approaches, develop innovative finance, improve integration between authorities. The Pioneers are developing their plans now and have gone through exercises of ecosystem assessments and natural capital assessments to identify areas for investment.
 
 
Wester Ross
WRB has made progress in promoting itself. We have a logo and produced our first leaflet.  The certificate awarding ceremony in September was an informal but successful event. We have been meetings community groups to raise the WRB profile as well as with organisations to explore collaboration opportunities. We went to Edinburgh to exhibit at the high-level Arctic Circle Conference and also attended an informative NORD MAB meeting at the Moen Biosphere in Denmark. The NPA SHAPE project is making progress with preparations being made to host a partnership meeting in April.
 
2020 is to be the Year of Coasts and Water in Scotland, and WRB is working with other groups to enhance the West Coast as Scotland’s prime marine tourism destination as well as reduce the pressure on landward infrastructure (NC500). WRB have also joined a Marine Litter Working Group to tackle the increasing issue of marine litter.
 
We reached the second round of the HLF Great Places Scheme, managing to bring in 2 major project partners. Although not successful, we had positive feedback from the funders. Also the material is useful in producing our 5 year strategic plan.

The councils in north Devon are asking people for their views on the valued landscape around the Taw Torridge estaury. Please go to the consultation page: