Africa-Press – Mauritius. The first celebration of the International Day of Biosphere Reserve, was observed, today, at the Bel Ombre Public Beach in presence of the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Agria, Mr Thierry Sauzier, representatives from the National Parks and Conservation Service, the Beach Authority and Rogers Foundation were present at the event. The St Martin Bel Ombre Endemic Garden was also launched as part of activities marking the International Day of Biosphere Reserve.
It is to be noted that in 2020, the UNESCO International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme designated the Black River Gorges-Bel Ombre as the new Biosphere Reserve for Mauritius and as a compliant member of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Gobin expressed satisfaction that the St Martin-Bel Ombre is the first village to form part of the Biosphere Reserve while highlighting Government’s vision to ensuring the protection of natural heritage and promoting sustainable development.
The Minister also seized the opportunity to commend the Agria, private and public stakeholders of the region for their commitment and collaboration to preserve Bel Ombre’s natural environment.
He expressed optimism for other regions to be added in the buffer zone to further expand the Biosphere Reserve. Underlining the importance to protecting the greenery, he urged the younger generation to preserve the uniqueness of the natural environment.
As for Mr Sauzier, he spoke of the continued engagement to reinforcing smart agriculture in the Bel Ombre region through sustainable methods while promoting local products. Biosphere Reserves and MAB Programme
Biosphere reserves are internationally recognised sites under the MAB programme that promote solutions for reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.
The Black River Gorges-Bel Ombre Biosphere Reserve (BRGBOBR) is important for the conservation of the last remnants of the endemic vegetation and tropical evergreen forest of Mauritius.
It covers a total area of 8,582.21 ha which include a core area of 6,574 ha, a buffer zone of 497.21 ha, and a transition zone of 1,511 ha. It also forms part of the regional AfriMAB and the World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves. The St Martin-Bel Ombre Village is the first village within the BRGBOBR to have international recognition. International Day for Biosphere Reserves
To highlight the contribution of 50 years of the UNESCO MAB programme and the global presence of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, the General Conference of Parties of the UNESCO in September 2021 took the decision to proclaim 3rd November as the International Day for Biosphere Reserves.
It is for the first time that the International Day for Biosphere Reserves is being observed. The aim is to provide on an annual basis, a wake-up call to the world’s population on the sustainable development approach to modern life and the leading and exemplary role that the World Network of Biosphere Reserves can play in this regard.
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