Man and the Biosphere Program

What are Biosphere Reserves?

Biosphere Reserves are protected areas that are set aside to protect biodiversity and geological features. They are places where human visitation, use, and impacts are strictly controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values. Since the 1970s, national governments have nominated qualifying sites to the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme, for designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Biosphere Reserves Germany created a short, 3-minute video, to explain the purpose of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

 

Welcome to the Isle Royale National Park International Biosphere Reserve

NPS

Man and the Biosphere at Isle Royale

The Isle Royale Biosphere Reserve was designated in 1980. It is a remote island archipelago, situated in the northwestern portion of Lake Superior, Michigan. The park offers outstanding possibilities for research in a remote ecosystem where human influences are limited. In this respect, Isle Royale is world renowned for its long-term wolf (Canis lupus)/moose (Alces alces) predator/prey study.

Vegetation is mainly of boreal conifer and northern hardwood forest type. In the cooler and wetter areas near Lake Superior, balsam fir (Abies balsamea), white spruce (Picea glauca) and paper balsam (Betula papyrifera) dominate the mature forest. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) dominate the warmer and drier sites in the interior of the biosphere reserve. The area's waters contain the most productive native fishery and genetically diverse trout populations in Lake Superior.

 

Man and Biosphere Report 11 (1985)
Documenting the History of Scientific Studies at Isle Royale

Man and Biosphere (MAB) Report Number 11 documented the history of scientific studies at Isle Royale (Vol. 1), and compiled a bibliography of scientific studies (Vol. 2).

Source: NPS DataStore Collection 9709. To search for additional information, visit the NPS DataStore.

 

North American Biosphere Reserves

There are 28 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the United States. The reserves protect a broad range of ecosystems; from forests, to deserts, to islands. The US Biosphere Network (USBN) maintains connections among biosphere regions, to facilitate their sharing of best practices, and to support their work toward connecting people and nature. Similarly, Canada is home to 19 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. The Canada Biosphere Regions Association facilitates connections, provides support, and promote the local efforts of biosphere regions.

 

Periodic Review

The status of each UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is subject to a periodic review every ten years, based on a report prepared by the concerned authority, to comply with the stautory framework set forth by UNESCO. Isle Royale National Park continues the process of documenting the park's engagement in sustainable initiatives and assessing the park's local interactions under program guidelines.

 

First Periodic Review, 2015

International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme

Twenty-seventh session, 8 – 12 June 2015

Isle Royale Biosphere Reserve (United States of America)

The Advisory Committee welcomed this first periodic review report for this biosphere reserve, designated in 1980. The biosphere reserve is an island, located in the north-west corner of Lake Superior in the State of Michigan. Thus, the Park is accessible only by boat or seaplane, and well-known for its immigrant wolves and moose. It is a refuge for western and arctic plant species and it's almost entirely designated as wilderness. The area is well protected as National Park and wilderness reserve. The Advisory Committee noted that The National Park cooperates with universities in research studies of large mammals, ungulate browsing, watershed monitoring, island biogeography and island genetic.

The Advisory Committee noted that there are no people living in the site. The site is one of most visited wild areas in the USA. The Advisory Committee also noted that education programmes were implemented by several institutions such as the Interpretation division of Isle Royal National Park, Isle Royal and Keweenaw Parks Association and Isle Royale Institute.

Based on the above information, the Advisory Committee considered that this site does not meet the criteria of the Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The Advisory Committee required that the authorities provide the MAB Secretariat with the following information by 30 September 2015:

• Updated periodic review report using the official form;
• A zonation map showing a clearly defined core area, buffer zone and transition area.