Editing Man and the Biosphere Programme (section)

==Biosphere reserves==
Biosphere reserves are areas comprising terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems.<ref name=B /> Its biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Their status is internationally recognized. Biosphere reserves are 'Science for Sustainability support sites'.

Biosphere reserves have three zones:<ref name=UB /><ref>[https://www.samab.org  Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere website]</ref>
* The core area(s) comprises a strictly protected ecosystem.
* The buffer zone surrounds or adjoins the core areas and is used for ecological practices.
* The transition area is the part of the reserve where most activity is allowed.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/SC/pdf/MAB_leaflet_2015_web_en.pdf|title = MAB leaflet 2015}}</ref>

=== IUCN classification ===
The first biosphere reserves were designated in 1976 in several countries including the US, UK, Uruguay, Thailand, Iran and Poland.<ref name=UB /><ref>[https://npshistory.com/publications/mab/index.htm  National Park Service History website, ''UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program'', article dated 9 October 2023]</ref>

In 1996, the [[IUCN]] and MAB published a guideline for how to assess UNESCO biosphere reserves in the [[IUCN protected area categories|IUCN classification system]]. The IUCN distinguishes between the biosphere core area, buffer zones, transition zones, and each individual biosphere reserve. Biosphere core zones were in IUCN category I; either Ia ([[strict nature reserve]]) or Ib ([[wilderness area]]). Biosphere buffer zones would fall into categories IV, V or VI, and transition zones would be categorized as either V or VI, if possible.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.iucn.org/content/biosphere-reserves-and-iucn-system-protected-area-management-categories|title=Biosphere reserves and the IUCN system of protected area management categories|publisher=IUCN Man and the Biosphere Programme, World Conservation Union and Australian Nature Conservation Agency|date=1996|access-date=11 September 2019|archive-date=26 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026133159/https://www.iucn.org/content/biosphere-reserves-and-iucn-system-protected-area-management-categories|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the 2020s, the zones are categorized as follows: core (category I-IV), buffer (category V-VI), transition (uncategorized).<ref>[https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/pag-021.pdf  IUCN website, ''Guidelines for Applying Protected Area Management Categories'', edited by Nigel Dudley (2013)]</ref>