Biosphere regions

International network

Biosphere regions are sites recognized by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme and are models of a sustainable future that protect and celebrate cultural and biological diversity, and that empower people to engage with each other and with nature in healthier ways. The World Network of Biosphere regions currently counts 759 sites in 136 countries all over the world.

Biosphere regions in Canada

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are known as biosphere regions in Canada. They are designated areas where communities are actively working to conserve biodiversity and implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals supported by Canada.

There are nineteen biosphere regions across the country. They reflect Canada’s geographic diversity and some of its most iconic landscapes, and bring people together at a regional level in support of domestic and international environmental and sustainable development goals and principles.

Biosphere regions are located in areas with high conservation value and potential; all but one are located in southern Canada. There is a biosphere region in Northwest Territories and there is at least one in every province, with the exception of Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island. There are 200,000 km of watercourses, 27,000 km² of protected areas or interim protected areas, more than 50 Indigenous hosts, more than 50 municipal partners and over 2.8 million people living in Canadian biosphere regions.

Canada’s network of biosphere regions is funded by various sources, including federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal government grants and contributions, as well as donations from private foundations and individuals.

From east to west:

Bras d’Or Lake, NS
Southwest Nova, NS
Fundy, NB
Manicouagan-Uapishka, QC
Charlevoix, QC
Lac Saint-Pierre, QC
Mont Saint-Hilaire, QC
Frontenac Arch, ON
Georgian Bay / Mnidoo Gamii, ON

Long Point, ON
Niagara Escarpment, ON
Riding Mountain, MB
Redberry Lake, SK
Beaver Hills, AB
Waterton, AB
Tsá Tué, NWT
Átl'ka7tsem / Howe Sound, BC
Mount Arrowsmith, BC
Clayoquot Sound, BC

Spotlights

Each of the Canadian biosphere regions have received funding from Enhanced Nature Legacy to help increase biodiversity conservation efforts across the country. Here are some examples of the great work they’re doing:

Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Region in Quebec

The Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Region in the Baie-Comeau region of Quebec was first recognized in 2007. It came together through collaboration and partnership with the Regional Tourism Association (ATR) of Manicouagan (now Tourisme Côte-Nord), the Regional County Municipality (MRC) of Manicouagan, the Council of the Innu of Pessamit, the City of Baie-Comeau, Hydro-Québec, and the Kruger Company.

It is located east of Québec City, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, and covers 5.4 million hectares, making it the second largest biosphere region in Canada. The landscapes are diverse and include steep cliffs on the water’s edge, vast tracts of boreal forest, and the Uapishka Mountains to the north. The salt marshes of the Manicouagan-Uapishka region are among the most productive habitats on the planet, acting as important resting places for more than 200 migratory birds. It is also home to many species at risk, including boreal caribou.

Project examples:

Ma Ville, Ma Voix: annual community-driven consultation and engagement process for sustainable development projects in Baie-Comeau.
Co-developing and implementing a minimum Monitoring and Research Program with the Innu Community of Pessamit and research partners: UQAR (University of Quebec at Rimouski) and INQ (Institut nordique du Québec).
Working with the Pessamit Innu Guardians to enforce the new snowmobiling rules and protect their traditional territory.
Managing ecotourism and consultation activities within a protected area with the Government of Quebec and community stakeholders, such as the Innu community of Pessamit, and the snowmobiling and hiking communities. This is helping to protect wildlife, like caribou, and their habitat.
Supporting and enabling research: the Canadian Forest Service has undertaken a four-year research project to study boreal caribou habitat and food sources.
Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Region

Átl’ka7tsem / Howe Sound Biosphere Region in British Columbia

Átl’ka7tsem / Howe Sound Biosphere Region (AHSBR) received its official UNESCO designation in September 2021, becoming Canada’s newest biosphere region and the third in British Columbia.

Though Átl’ka7tsem / Howe Sound inlet and the surrounding mountains are on the edge of bustling Metro Vancouver, the biosphere region is abundant with nature and wildlife, including rare and fragile glass sponge reefs. Residents and visitors alike can explore the outdoors, learn about the region’s unique ecology, and discover the rich culture of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and other Coast Salish peoples, who have existed and prospered from this shared territory since time immemorial.

AHSBR extends from the sea floor to the mountaintops, encompassing a 218,723-hectare swath of terrain that begins near Point Atkinson (Sk’íẃitsut) in West Vancouver, running north to Black Tusk (T’ekt’akmúỳin tl’a In7inỳáxa7en) near Whistler, and as far west as Gower Point on the Sunshine Coast. An estimated 42 percent of the land within AHSBR is under some form of conservation management, while less than 5 percent of the marine area is protected.

Átl'ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound Biosphere Region

Three zones of a biosphere region

Biosphere regions have three distinct zones:

Credit: UNESCO

Core protected area, consists of a strictly protected ecosystem (e.g. national wildlife area, migratory bird sanctuary, or national park) that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species, and genetic variation;
Buffer zone, used for limited activities, compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training, and education; and
Transition area, where greater activity is allowed, fostering socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable economic and human development.

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