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UNESCO declares world’s first 5-country biosphere reserve in ‘Amazon of Europe’

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Environment
  • Published
    18th Sep, 2021

UNESCO designated Mura-Drava-Danube (MDD) as the world’s first ‘five-country biosphere reserve.

Context

UNESCO designated Mura-Drava-Danube (MDD) as the world’s first ‘five-country biosphere reserve.

About the reserve

  • The biosphere reserve covers 700 kilometres of the Mura, Drava and Danube rivers and stretches across 
    • Austria
    • Slovenia
    • Croatia
    • Hungary 
    • Serbia
  • The total area of the reserve — a million hectares — in the so-called ‘Amazon of Europe’, makes it the largest riverine protected area on the continent.
  • The reserve is home to floodplain forests, gravel and sand banks, river islands, oxbows and meadows.
  • It is home to continental Europe’s highest density of breeding white-tailed eagle (more than 150 pairs), as well as endangered species such as the little tern, black stork, otters, beavers and sturgeons.
  • It is also an important annual resting and feeding place for more than 250,000 migratory birds.
  • Almost 900,000 people live in the biosphere reserve.

Biosphere Reserves

  • Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. 
  • They are internationally recognized, nominated by national governments and remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located.

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