Haiti Marks International Day of Biosphere Reserves With UNESCO Youth Workshop

Haiti's Ministry of the Environment (MdE), through the country's Biosphere Reserve Management Unit (UGRBH), organized a training and awareness workshop to mark the International Day of Biosphere Reserves, in collaboration with the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Youth Network, according to haitilibre.com. The workshop aimed to increase understanding of biosphere reserves and promote an approach balancing biodiversity conservation with local community development, amid severe pressures from deforestation, ecosystem degradation and climate change. Yves Bernard Remarais, Chief of Staff to the Minister of the Environment, officially launched the day's celebrations before representatives of sectoral institutions and ministry officials. Remarais stated that "Haiti's natural heritage cannot be protected in a sustainable way without the active engagement of local communities," noting that the La Selle and La Hotte biosphere reserves, both recognized by UNESCO, represent a responsibility for Haiti and an opportunity for sustainable development. He linked the effort to the National Community Reforestation Strategy. Ematel Bélance, Coordinator of the UGRBH, recalled that UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme, launched in 1971, seeks a sustainable balance between conservation, social and economic development, scientific research and environmental education. Haiti's two reserves form part of a global network of 797 biosphere reserves across 145 countries, the report said.