Consider the following statements regarding Biosphere Reserves: 1.Panna Tiger Reserve is India's 13th UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. 2.UNESCO has included 13 biospheres from India into its Biosphere Reserve list. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Biosphere Reserves: 1.Panna Tiger Reserve is India's 13th UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. 2.UNESCO has included 13 biospheres from India into its Biosphere Reserve list. Which of the above statements is/are correct? Correct Answer Neither 1 nor 2

The correct answer is Neither 1 nor 2.

Why in the news?

• UNESCO has designated the Panna Tiger reserve as a Biosphere Reserve under its Man and Biosphere Programme.
• It will be India's 18th such reserve.
• There is a total of 18 Biosphere Reserves in India and out of these 12 Biosphere Reserves are listed under the MAB program of UNESCO. 
• Hence, Both the given statements are incorrect.

Additional Information

• Biosphere Reserve is an international designation given by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• The designation is given to representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large areas of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or a combination of both.
• The UNESCO has introduced the designation ‘Biosphere Reserve’ for natural areas to minimize conflict between development and conservation.
• Man and Biosphere Programme:
  • UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.

Important Points

• The first biosphere reserve of the world was established in 1979.
• A biosphere reserve is divided into three zones:
  • Core area:
    • It involves an entirely secured and protected ecosystem that contributes to the preservation of ecosystems and species.
    • It is kept free from human interference.
  • Buffer zone:
    • It encompasses the core areas and is regarded as an area in which human use is less intensive than what might be found in the transition zone.
    • Research and educational activities are to be encouraged.
  • Transition area:
    • The large outer area of a reserve where people live and work, using the natural resources of the area in a sustainable manner.
    •  It is the zone of cooperation where human ventures and conservation are done in harmony.