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Biosphere Reserves are territories of exceptional significance due to their ecological, cultural, economic, and social wealth. These lands stand as living models of harmonious coexistence between the preservation of their natural heritage and the enrichment of the cultural legacy intertwined with the resident communities.
These Reserves attain their recognition through a collaborative effort between national governments and UNESCO’s Director-General, within the framework of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB). The MAB International Coordinating Council’s (MAB ICC) decisions play a pivotal role in this distinction
While each Biosphere Reserve falls under the jurisdiction of its respective nation, they form an active web of collaboration. They interact and share insights, experiences, projects, and endeavours on regional, national, and global scales. This synergy is established within a vast network that currently encompasses 749 Biosphere Reserves across 134 countries. This network also includes 23 cross-border Biosphere Reserves, as of June 2023.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves collectively cover approximately 3.5% of the Earth’s surface.
Portugal’s 12 Biosphere Reserves span across three distinct biogeographical regions: Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Macaronesia. Encompassing a wide array of ecosystems, these Reserves capture the full spectrum of Portugal’s natural richness. From the captivating islands of the Macaronesia to the aquatic realms of the Atlantic Sea, from the Tagus wetlands to the riverine landscapes, from the mountains to the northern valleys and the Alentejo plains, each Reserve is a microcosm of diversity.
The 12 Portuguese Reserves unite under the banner of the Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO, creating a harmonious connection that transcends regional differences and aligns with the universal values upheld by UNESCO.
This collective endeavour covers an impressive 12% of the national territory and constitutes a remarkable 26% of the Protected and Classified Areas within Portugal. Notably, these Reserves are homes to 283,960 individuals, contributing to 3% of the entire Portuguese population.
These Reserves serve as guardians of Portugal’s invaluable cultural and natural heritage. They harbour a staggering 79.8% of the 99 habitats designated for mandatory preservation. This commitment to conservation and heritage preservation is at the core of the Reserves’ ethos.
Portugal has four reserves in the Azores Archipelago, two in Madeira and six on the mainland, three of which are cross-border.
The first Portuguese Biosphere Reserve, Paul do Boquilobo, was classified in 1981. In 2007, two new Reserves were designated, both in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Corvo Island and Graciosa Island. The first Transfrontier Reserve, Gerês-Xurês, was approved in 2009, the same year as the Flores Island Reserve. Two years later, in 2011, the Berlengas and Santana Reserves were created. The Meseta Ibérica Transfrontier Reserve (2015), the Fajãs de São Jorge and the Tejo / Tajo Transfrontier Reserves (2016), Castro Verde (2017) and Porto Santo (2020) were soon added.
In 2021, 283,960 people lived in the Reserves, 3 per cent of the total resident population in Portugal, having lost around 40 per cent of their residents in the last 60 years.
Of the 25,800 villages in Portugal, around 1,800 (7%) are located in Biosphere Reserves.
Learn about the configuration of their territories, the people who live there and make up their communities, the importance of their natural and cultural heritage and their economic activity. See how the Reserves contribute to the well-being of people and the planet.
From pollination to reducing the risk of fire and soil erosion, to improving air and water quality, nature (and all biodiversity), ecosystem services play a fundamental role in human survival.
Ecosystem services are therefore the benefits that human populations obtain from ecosystems.
