The Isle of Wight has become a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are unique areas of environmental significance in which communities strive to work hand in hand, innovatively and responsibly to protect and support the local environment and the world we all live in. The Isle of Wight follows into the footsteps of the North Devon and Isle of Man Biosphere Reserves as England’s third and the UK’s seventh Biosphere Reserve.
The award was made by the United Nations Man and Biosphere Co-ordinating Council, who met in Paris on Wednesday 19 June. This year’s Mardi Gras in Ryde will be a celebration of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with over 30 schools, community organisations and off Island carnival companies joining the New Carnival Company on June 29.
The Isle of Wight AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) Partnership worked on the application (on behalf of the British Government) for a period of 3 years, ensuring that the Island is recognised for the way people and nature coexist.
Isle of Wight Deer Conservation welcome this achievement of reserve status and said;
“One of the truly unique things about the Isle of Wight is that it is the only county in southern England where it is still possible to see not only red and roe deer but also red squirrels and dormice in the wild.”
James Bridge, Secretary-General and Chief Executive of the UK National Commission for UNESCO said,
“I had the privilege to visit the beautiful and biodiverse Isle of Wight in depth in October 2018 when it hosted the UK Biospheres’ meeting. The grassroots work, passion and commitment of people on the Isle to obtain Biosphere status is exceptional, exemplified by both the schoolchildren and teachers at the Mardi Gras and Richard Grogan of the IoW AONB and his team. This global recognition rightly demonstrates how the Isle of Wight is playing its part on the UK and world stage and helping contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and the UK’s key role in UN bodies like UNESCO.”