Biosphere Project
Beinn Eighe currently has UNESCO Biosphere status. Under new criteria set out by UNESCO it is likely that Beinn Eighe would lose this designation. This was brought to the attention of the board for investigation. A sub group of board members was set up to look into the Biosphere status and potential benefits for the community including the role of WRA. The group reported that after doing some independent research once the jargon was broken down the concept of a biosphere was seen in a more positive light as Beinn Eighe would not need to enforce any restrictive legislation/boundaries to meet the criteria required.
Wester Ross Alliance are now working in partnership with UHI The Centre for Mountain Studies to bring together a project where we can gather information to ascertain the benefits for the communities in retaining status and learn more about Biospheres in relation to community development and economic benefits for the area. It is hoped that WRA will gain sound solid footing in terms of knowledge and the community will gain reliable information for any future developments.
The following question are as the result of a random telephone survey:
Ten questions about biosphere status from Wester Ross
1. How will BR status affect the communities?
- The BR is a UNESCO accolade for sustainable development. This implicitly means a high degree of participation in planning for the area in terms of social, economic and environmental progress. The expectation is that the community will instigate and secure this progress as a demonstration as a place of excellence.
2. How will BR status benefit the communities?
- The most effective BRs are developed with stakeholders/communities with a strong sense of local/regional identity. BRs can help to strengthen this. Once UNESCO gives the accolade of BR, this status can help to attract tourists; be used as a basis for branding (e.g., for tourism, labels for local produce); provide a structure/basis for development, environmental, and arts projects; be used as a stimulus for research (in all different fields); support education at all levels, both formal and informal.
3. Will there be any restrictions to businesses?
- No; quite the opposite – BR status should contribute to business opportunities (see above). One model is for a charter for businesses that sign up to the goals of a BR (e.g., in Devon, Switzerland)
4. Will commerce be enhanced by BR status?
- experience in other BRs suggest that there is considerable potential (see above)
5. How will BR status affect the designated area?
- not at all: UNESCO requires that a BR has a core zone that is legally defined for conservation purposes - e.g, SSSIs, NNRs, NSAs under Scottish legislation or Natura 2000 sites under European legislation (generally, sites designated under European legislation would be preferred, as these are already internationally recognized) - but BR status will not lead to any changes in the extent or regulations associated with these designations. Private ownership of or within the core zone(s) is not a problem as long as the core zone(s) is(are) legally-constituted for conservation purposes.
6. Will there be an increase in SSSI’s?
- no (see above)
7. How does BR status compare to National Parks?
A BR is a place with an international status within a UNESCO programme; this does not bring any specific resources or legal requirements or implications, but also means that the BR is part of an international network with opportunities for collaborative working and exchange (and possibly joint funding for projects). A Scottish National Park is designated under Scottish legislation, and implies funding from the Scottish government as well as formal involvement in the planning system (e.g., for housing applications).
8. Will BR status affect planning applications?
- no, as it does not add to existing legal designations and has no formal status in planning policy. However, local authorities can use the designation to add weight to policies for sustainable development for the benefit of the area. This is proving to be popular in Devon.
9. Will there be more legislation than current?
- no (as with planning).
10. Could it be modified or extended in future?
- yes, if requested by those responsible for its coordination, through the ‘concerned authority’ (i.e., the Scottish Government to DEFRA [UK government] to UNESCO). All BRs are expected to undergo a periodic review every 10 years, and often this leads to changes in the total area covered, or in specific zones.
Other points covered in the meeting of the
Wester Ross Alliance and the UK MAB Committee, 6 June 2011
Spatial extent and population
The boundaries of a BR have to be agreed locally, and are usually linked to a region with a clearly-defined local/regional identity. It can take some time to achieve agreement, but this mapping process leads to overall buy-in which unifies the different groups. UNESCO has no criteria for the number of people living in a BR (except that there must be some - which is why St Kilda was removed from the World Network of Biosphere Reserves). Some BRs are in sparsely-populated areas, other have large cities in their outer zone.
Governance
Local authorities (e.g., Highland Council) and conservation agencies (e.g., SNH) are generally involved in the governance structure for a BR and provide support (e.g., advice from SNH), but should not be driving it; this should be done by a wider participatory partnership of stakeholder groups (e.g., including WRA, NTS, Forestry Commission, estate owners/managers, tourism businesses). Specifically, the manager of the core area (e.g., Beinn Eighe NNR) would not be responsible for coordinating the wider BR.
A vital issue will be to get key landowners interested, who can then act as ‘ambassadors’ to other landowners. The Centre for Mountain Studies has good connections to Scottish Land and Estates (ex-SRPBA) and may be able to assist in this.
Funding
Initial funding to develop the concept of a BR and submit a proposal to UNESCO is usually through existing structures and projects; the process is like any development project. However, after UNESCO gives the accolade, and as the BR evolves, new structures may emerge, and find project funding. In Devon, BR status was one reason why funding to the BR coordination structure from the local authority has continued, despite overall funding cuts.
In Wester Ross, the Applecross and Coigach Assynt Landscape Partnerships, which have applied for SRDP funding, may be useful models.
The 5k funding through the Scottish Funding Council’s (Interface) Innovation Voucher will be available again from August, provided match funding can be found by the Wester Ross Alliance.
Consultation process
The SNP’s manifesto contained a commitment to ‘work with communities to explore, and seek views on Scottish participation in the UNESCO Biosphere initiative’. What this will mean in practice has to be discussed with the new Minister; the timing, scope and method of the consultation process is unknown, as is the link between national park and biosphere reserve issues in the process.