Biosphere Reserves in Tamil Nadu

UNESCO has designated a Biosphere Reserve (BR) as a representative component of natural and cultural landscapes. These reserves span significant areas of terrestrial, coastal or marine ecosystems. Sometimes they can be a mix of these ecosystems. In this article, we will get to know about the biosphere reserve in Tamil Nadu and where this biosphere reserve is located in Tamil Nadu.

BRs are responsible for tackling one of the most pressing issues: how to balance biodiversity conservation, economic and social development, and cultural values. As a result, BRs are unique ecosystems for both humans and nature. The idea is that humans and nature can coexist while taking care of each other’s needs. Tamil Nadu is amongst the states having the maximum biosphere reserves in India. 

Criteria for biosphere reserve

A site that has a well-protected and lightly altered core area of high conservation value is called a reserve. The biosphere reserve’s core area should be the biogeographical unit. And the area should be large enough to accommodate viable populations that can represent all trophic levels.

Authorities and management of that state should ask for people’s cooperation in preserving the area. Local communities should be responsible for ensuring community participation and use all the resources in looking after the reserve. Spots with the potential to sustain traditional tribal or rural ways of life aid in environmental conservation. 

Structure of Biosphere Reserves

The main concept behind the formation of the biosphere reserve was to protect and conserve all the forms of life in a natural way. These biosphere reserves can be divided into three parts, which include the core, the buffer and transition zones.

Core Zone

The core zone is made so that it can provide habitat for a vast reach of plant and animal species, which includes higher-order predators, and may also contain endemism centres. Core areas often serve as substantial genetic reservoirs of great scientific interest and conserve wild relatives of economically important species. 

Protection of core zones of the biosphere reserve comes under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This act tells us that all parks and natural habitats should be protected, and no human shall interfere in its protection. While acknowledging that disturbance is an inevitable part of ecosystem functioning, the core zone must be protected from external human demands.

Buffer Zone

The core zone is encircled by a buffer zone, and the uses and activities are regulated in such a way that the core zone remains in its natural state. Restoration, demonstration areas for boosting resource value addition, fishing, limited tourism, grazing, and other uses and activities are allowed to decrease the impact on the core zone. 

Activities such as teaching and research should be promoted. If human activities within BR are natural, they are likely to continue if they do not hurt ecological variety.

Transition zone

A biosphere reserve’s transition zone is the most remote region of the reserve. In this zone coordination, where conservation knowledge and management abilities are implied, and usage is taken care of in peace with the biosphere reserve’s aim. 

It is usually not delimited. Settlements, managed woods, croplands, and regions used for intensive recreation and other economic purposes are all included. Local communities and all interested stakeholders take part to form a plan and manage Biosphere Reserves. They combine three primary “functions”:

• Biodiversity preservation and cultural diversity
• Logistic assistance, underlying development through research, monitoring, teaching, and training
• The development is cultural, social and environmentally stable

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has given the title natural regions as ‘Biosphere Reserves’ to avoid any dispute that might take place.

The UNESCO program called Man and Biosphere reserves contains BRs that are nominated by national governments that meet a certain set of criteria and comply with a limited set of bars for inclusion in the world network of Biosphere reserves. Globally there are a total of 686 biosphere reserves, including 20 transboundary sites, which are spread across 122 nations.

Interesting facts about biosphere reserves

• All main representative natural and semi-natural habitats are covered by the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
• It covers 6,812,000 km² and is spread throughout 129 countries. It’s nearly the same size as Australia.
• Around 257 million people are living in Biosphere Reserves around the world.

Biosphere Reserves in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is one of the Indian states that puts its priority on protecting and managing forest resources and wildlife. That is the reason why this state is one of the few states having a maximum biosphere reserve in India. The protected areas in India include five national parks, 15 bird sanctuaries, 15 wildlife sanctuaries, two conservation reserves and three biodiversity reserves. This biosphere reserve is located in Tamil Nadu at: 

• Nilgiris biosphere reserve: 2,53,800 sq
• Gulf of Mannar Biosphere reserve: 10,50,000 sq
• Agasthiyar Malai Biosphere reserve: 1,67,236 sq

Conclusion

Hence, we can conclude that biosphere reserves are meant for conservation purposes. The interdisciplinary and controlled interactions between the social and ecological systems also take place at these reserves. These reserves can significantly improve relationships between humans and their environment. Tamil Nadu is also one of the states with maximum biosphere reserve in India. This article tells you about the biosphere reserve in Tamil Nadu and where this biosphere reserve is located in Tamil Nadu.