25 November 2015
UNESCO, Partners Disseminate Management Manual for African Biosphere Reserves
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The Management Manual for UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserves in Africa has been widely disseminated to staff and national committees of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) in Africa.

One of the main objectives of the manual is to build the capacity of present and future managers of Africa's 85 biosphere reserves, as well as local partners, funding agencies and other interested parties, in order to improve the effectiveness and inclusiveness of biosphere reserve management structures.

UNESCONovember 2015: The Management Manual for UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserves in Africa has been widely disseminated to staff and national committees of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) in Africa. One of the main objectives of the manual is to build the capacity of present and future managers of Africa’s 85 biosphere reserves, as well as local partners, funding agencies and other interested parties, in order to improve the effectiveness and inclusiveness of biosphere reserve management structures.

The manual tackles some of the practical challenges of managing biosphere reserves in Africa, including how to: integrate nature conservation with socio-economic development and poverty reduction; resolve conflicts among different stakeholders; share economic returns with villagers; and formulate participatory management plans. In addition, the manual discusses alternative options for developing legal and administrative frameworks for UNESCO biosphere reserves in Africa, including how to organize consultations and hearings, with recommendations for potential financial supporters and decision makers in relevant ministries.

The manual was developed through four scoping workshops as well as online consultations held between 2013 and 2015, and contains contributions from 110 experts working with UNESCO biosphere reserves across Africa. Its creation was part of a three-year project funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment and coordinated by the German Commission for UNESCO and the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, in collaboration with the UNESCO MAB Secretariat and members of the AfriMAB and ArabMAB networks. [German Commission for UNESCO News Release] [Congo Basin Forest Partnership Announcement] [Publication: Management Manual for UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Africa: A Practical Guide for Managers] [Publication: Management Manual for UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Africa: Field Version]

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