THE RECOGNITION

 

RECOGNITION OF THE ‘BIOSPHERE RESERVE’

The Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve was established in June 2019 and includes the territory of 11 municipalities in the mountainous region of Friuli – Venezia Giulia: Artegna, Chiusaforte, Dogna, Gemona del Friuli, Lusevera, Moggio Udinese, Montenars, Resia, Resiutta, Taipana and Venzone.

The process towards obtaining recognition as a Biosphere Reserve began in 2011 upon the initiative of the Julian PreAlps Nature Park and with the participation of the municipalities within the Park, and later those of Artegna, Dogna, Gemona del Friuli, Montenars and Taipana. During the drawing up of the candidature dossier, the three fundamental functions of a Biosphere Reserve were highlighted:

  • =Conservation: contributing towards the conservation of the landscape, ecosystems, species and genetic variability
  • =Development: woodland and forestry economy alongside socially and culturally sustainable human development
  • =Logistical support: support for pilot projects, environmental education, research, and monitoring towards local, regional, and national conservation as well as development goals.

    The dossier also emphasised compliance with the core recognition criteria:

    • =The area must include a mosaic of ecosystems that are representative of a significant number of biogeographic regions, including a gradient of anthropogenic intrusion
    • =The area must be of paramount importance for the conservation of ecological biodiversity
    • =The area must ensure the opportunity to explore and display sustainable development approaches on a regional scale
    • =The area must be of an adequate extension in order to fulfil all three functions of a Biosphere Reserve

    The candidature dossier was approved by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and the National MAB Committee after undergoing thorough analysis.

    Recognition by UNESCO was made official in Paris on 19th June 2019 as part of the 31st Session of UNESCO’s International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, confirming the area’s significance on a national and international scale.