BIOSPHERE RESERVES OF INDIA — CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND MAJOR EXAMPLES

PRERNA FOR IAS

         Mehnat Aapki, Guidance Humari

         Roz ki Prelims Practice — Experts ke Saath

BIOSPHERE RESERVES OF INDIA — CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND MAJOR EXAMPLES

1. Meaning and Purpose

• A Biosphere Reserve is a large representative area created to conserve ecosystems, landscapes, species and genetic diversity, while also supporting sustainable livelihoods and research.
• India’s Biosphere Reserve Programme follows the broad framework of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme.
• The programme in India began in 1986, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has designated 18 Biosphere Reserves. (Ministry of Environment and Forests)

2. Three Functional Zones

• A Biosphere Reserve is generally organised into core, buffer and transition zones.
• The core zone receives the highest level of protection and is devoted primarily to conservation.
• The buffer zone permits research, education and compatible activities, while the transition zone accommodates settlements and sustainable economic activities.
• This zonation distinguishes biosphere reserves from many other protected-area categories.

3. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

• Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1986, was India’s first Biosphere Reserve.
• It extends across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka and includes landscapes around Wayanad, Bandipur, Mudumalai, Silent Valley and adjoining hills.
• It represents the exceptionally rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats and covers about 5,520 sq. km. (Ministry of Environment and Forests)

4. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve

• Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve in Uttarakhand was designated in 1988.
• It protects high-altitude Himalayan ecosystems containing alpine meadows, glaciers and habitats of rare mountain fauna.
• The reserve covers approximately 5,860.69 sq. km and includes areas of Chamoli, Pithoragarh and adjoining districts. (Ministry of Environment and Forests)

5. Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve

• Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal protects a vast mangrove-delta ecosystem formed by the Ganga–Brahmaputra river system.
• It covers about 9,630 sq. km and provides habitat for the Royal Bengal Tiger, estuarine crocodiles, fishing cats and rich aquatic biodiversity.
• Its location makes it particularly vulnerable to cyclones, salinity changes and sea-level rise. (Ministry of Environment and Forests)

6. Gulf of Mannar and Great Nicobar

• The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve in Tamil Nadu includes marine, coastal and island ecosystems extending broadly from Rameswaram towards Kanyakumari.
• It is important for coral reefs, seagrass beds, dugongs, marine turtles and fisheries.
• Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve protects tropical evergreen forests, coastal plains and rich endemic biodiversity on India’s southernmost major island. UNESCO records more than 1,800 faunal species in the Great Nicobar landscape. (Ministry of Environment and Forests)

7. Pachmarhi and Achanakmar–Amarkantak

• Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve in Madhya Pradesh represents the Satpura landscape and contains extensive forests and rich floral and faunal diversity.
• Achanakmar–Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve spans parts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and covers about 3,835.51 sq. km.
• It protects forests, watersheds and biodiversity around the Maikal and Satpura landscape. (Ministry of Environment and Forests)

8. Kachchh and Agasthyamalai

• Kachchh Biosphere Reserve in Gujarat is India’s largest nationally designated biosphere reserve by area, covering about 12,454 sq. km.
• It represents arid and semi-arid ecosystems containing salt marshes, grasslands and important habitats for flamingos and other wildlife.
• Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, spread across Tamil Nadu and Kerala, protects highly diverse Western Ghats forests and endemic species. (Ministry of Environment and Forests)

9. Other Important Biosphere Reserves

• Other nationally designated reserves include Nokrek, Manas, Similipal, Dibru-Saikhowa, Dehang-Dibang, Khangchendzonga, Cold Desert, Seshachalam and Panna.
• Together, India’s 18 Biosphere Reserves cover approximately 91,425 sq. km. (Ministry of Environment and Forests)
• Several Indian biosphere reserves are also included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves, although national designation and UNESCO recognition are distinct processes.

10. Conservation Significance

• Biosphere reserves aim to integrate biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, scientific research, education and traditional knowledge.
• They protect large landscapes rather than individual species alone and can include national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, forests, villages and agricultural areas.
• Major threats include habitat fragmentation, climate change, over-exploitation, invasive species and unsustainable development.
• Effective management therefore requires community participation, ecological monitoring and sustainable livelihood practices.
• Biosphere reserves are best understood as living laboratories where conservation and human development are intended to coexist.