Arrábida’s Application for UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

On 27 September, the result of the application for Arrábida to become a Biosphere Reserve will be made public. The application was submitted to the Secretariat of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MaB) Programme in Paris, in September 2024, by the three municipalities that make up the Arrábida Territory – Palmela, Sesimbra, and Setúbal – in partnership with the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), and under the coordination of the Association of Municipalities of the Setúbal Region (AMRS).

The application process began at the end of 2016, with the signing of a protocol between the Association of Municipalities of the Setúbal Region and the entities promoting the application – Palmela Municipality, Sesimbra Municipality, Setúbal Municipality, and ICNF.

Its development was only made possible thanks to the commitment and dedication of the entire community. The application puts forward the recognition and enhancement of the Arrábida Territory as a living laboratory for sustainability, fostering harmonious development among economic, social, and cultural activities while safeguarding, conserving, and restoring ecosystems within the rich Mediterranean biome encompassed by the Arrábida Mountain Range and the wider region.

– Arrábida Convent

Biosphere Reserves are territories committed to sustainability, valuing the conservation of landscapes and ecosystems as a foundation for social, economic, cultural, and ecological development. They serve as platforms for research, monitoring, education, and awareness-raising.