The northeast classified as a biosphere reserve – publico

                 

                         
                     

                 

 
                         

A wide area between Portugal and Spain in a triangle bounded by Bragança, Zamora and Salamanca, was on Tuesday classified as a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

                     

                          There are about 11,000 square kilometers, including the Portuguese side the Cold Earth and transmontanas Hot and the Douro Superior. The area will now be designated as a Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Iberian Meseta

The application was presented to UNESCO by an organization of regional cooperation between Portugal and Spain, the ZASNET. – Acronym referring to Zamora , Salamanca and Northeast Transmontano. Was one of more than two dozen candidates considered by the UNESCO program of the International Coordinating Committee for biosphere reserves, which is meeting in Paris until the next day 12.

Created in 1971, the reserves of biosphere are areas subject to a flexible protection, which combines nature conservation, scientific research and sustainable development. They consist of three areas:. A core of strictly protected ecosystems, buffer zones with activities compatible with the conservation of nature and a transition area, which concentrates most of the economic activity

Of the 1,132,606 hectares of the reserve of Iberian Meseta, there are 107,934 hectares in protected areas, 636,654 hectares of buffer zone and 389,018 hectares of transition zone, according to figures provided by UNESCO. Across the region live about 305 thousand inhabitants. There are several protected species such as the black stork, the Egyptian vulture, Bonelli’s eagle, the eagle owl, the otter and the Iberian wolf.

“With this designation is intended to boost tourism, combining UNESCO marks to nature conservation, regional certified products and the creation of new job opportunities, “the ZASNET in a statement quoted by Lusa agency.

The application involved four years of preparation and the ZASNET expects the recognition of the area as a biosphere reserve will now leverage synergies for sustainable development. “Only after this approval is that it will begin effective work,” the statement added.

The Iberian Meseta sum to eight other biosphere reserves in Portugal. The first to be classified, in 1981, was the Paul do Boquilobo. Followed by the islands of Corvo and Graciosa in 2007. In 2009 we classified the island of Flores and the mountains of Gerês / Xurés – also a cross-border reserve. And in 2011, it was once Berlengas and Santana, Madeira.

The International Tagus is also a candidate for the UNESCO environmental seal. But according to the documents of the meeting of Paris, only Spain has its part of the application, pending the same as the Portuguese side. UNESCO expects the process to be completed by Portugal until September 30.

Since 1971, UNESCO has ranked 651 biosphere reserves in 120 different countries. Nearly half (297) are in Europe and North America.