Man and the Biosphere Programme
To date, 598 biosphere reserves in 117 countries have been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
PROTECTED
The Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
they exist in more than 100 countries all across the world. Biosphere reserves are areas that are supposed to develop innovative approaches, test them and share the results; more importantly to combine many different approaches in a vast diversity of policy and management fields, towards a balanced relationship between mankind and nature.
In order for an area to be included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, work on the ground has to have started, appropriate information about the region gathered, and the local population needs to have agreed. Nominations then are prepared and submitted to UNESCO by national governments, in most cases through MAB national committees. Benefits gained from being part of the network include access to a shared base of knowledge and incentives to integrate conservation, development and scientific research on sustainably manage ecosystems.
Ecological Sciences for Sustainable Development.
The island of Gran Canaria is part of the Canary Archipelago, situated between the Fuerteventura and Tenerife Islands. It is of volcanic origin and reaches a maximum altitude of 1,949 metres at the Pico de las Nieves, at the centre of the island. Gran Canaria Biosphere Reserve covers approximately a third of the island on the the south-western side, including the municipalities of Aldea de San Nicolás, Artenara and Tejeda, all of the territory situated at an altitude above 300 metres in the municipalites of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Agaete and Mogán, and a small part of the sector of Vega de San Mateo is included in the Parque Rural de El Nublo.
In recent years, different specific programmes have been developed and co-financed with the European Commission through the LIFE project (Conservation of blue chaffinch (Fringilla teydea), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), endangered flora, invasive vertebrate species, evaluation of the ecological impact of whale-watching). There are also permanent forests monitoring plots for the analysis of the state of the forests.
Flora and Fauna.
From all over the world specialists are captivated by the flora and fauna of the Canary Islands.
It's unique because other plant species became extinct in other areas during the ice age.
Approximately five hundred plant species on Gran Canaria can be found on the other islands, however it's astonishing that there are more than a hundred species that grow only on Gran Canaria. Once here visit the "Viera y Clavijo" Botanical Garden and the laurisilva (humid laurel trees) forest in Los Tiles de Moya, which is one of the last remnants of laurisilva in the world.
The fauna of the Island is recognized by the abundance of birds and reptiles and absence of big vertebrates and harmful species. Great spotted woodpeckers, robins and the blue chaffinch,are a few of the 48 species and of course the singing Canary. Also many migrating birds recharge here before flying on.
The marine fauna is rich and diversified in species, due to the geographical situation of the island. With the coexistence of pelagic fish and turtles. These species coexist with rays, manta rays, stingrays and angel sharks, swordfishes, big tuna fish and coastal species such as white seabreams, parrot -fishes, goldlines, saddled seabreams, pompanoes, groupers, blacktail combers, john dories and pollacks. Waters are also rich with mammals such as common dolphins, bottlenosed dolphins and whales.