Island hosts Biosphere gathering

The Island is the only entire jurisdiction in the world to be named a Biosphere Reserve.

There are 669 Biosphere Reserves in 120 countries. They include such iconic sites as Ayers Rock (Uluru) in Australia, Yellowstone in the USA, the Cape Winelands in South Africa, Mount Kenya and Central Amazon.

In the British Isles, the Island joins North Devon; Brighton and Lewes Downs; Dyfi in Wales; Galloway and South Ayrshire and Wester Ross in Scotland and Dublin Bay as Biosphere Reserves.

Representatives of the areas will attend the formal meeting of the UK National Committee for UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme at Government Offices.

They will be welcomed by Richard Ronan MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, and will be given a tour of Tynwald by its President, the Hon Clare Christian, prior to the meeting commencing. Stakeholders will join them for lunch.

On Saturday 18 July, committee members will enjoy some of the sights of the Isle of Man.

Minister Ronan said: 'We look forward to hosting the committee, sharing, with more established sites, how the Island can make the most of the UNESCO recognition and showing members some of our beautiful Island.'

Professor Martin Price, who chairs the committee, said: 'I am grateful to the Government of the Isle of Man for hosting the biannual meeting of the UK MAB committee. I am looking forward to the opportunity that this gives us to visit the one of the newest members of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves and celebrate its approval by UNESCO.'