Complete list of Biosphere reserves in India

Biosphere reserves in India

What is the Biosphere Reserve?

‘Biosphere Reserves’ are designated natural sites, comprising terrestrial or marine or coastal or combined ecosystems, which promote the conservation of biodiversity and minimize the conflict between development and nature conservation.
‘Biosphere Reserve’ is originally an international concept. It was introduced by the International Co-ordinating Council (ICC) of UNESCO in Nov.1971 for the first time.

Criteria of the Biosphere Reserve

A site must contain a protected and minimally disturbed core area of value of nature conservation.
The core zone should be large enough to sustain viable populations representing all Tropic levels in the ecosystem.
Management authorities to ensure local community involvement to bring the variety of knowledge and experiences to link biodiversity conservation and socio-economic development while managing and containing the conflicts.
Areas potential for preservation of traditional tribal or rural modes of living for harmonious use of the environment.

Structure of the Biosphere Reserve

Biosphere reserves are demarcated into following three zones.

1. Core Zone

This zone is the heart and soul of the Biosphere Reserve.
The core contains the maximum diversity of numerous plants and animals which are endemic to the region.
Most of the time, Core part is the legally protected area like the National park, sanctuaries under Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Management and research activities are allowed to some extent without affecting ecological diversity and wildlife.
Activities like grazing, human settlement are not allowed in the core zone. So it is always free from human encroachment.

2. Buffer Zone

Buffer zone surrounds core zone. It acts like a blanket to the core part.
In the Buffer zone, some activities like Grazing, fishing, research, tourism are allowed under strict regulations without affecting ecological diversity.

3. Transition Zone

This zone is the outermost cover of the biosphere reserve.
This zone contains least diversity and density of animal and trees.
It is an example of ‘Human- Nature Coexistence’.
This zone includes human settlements, agriculture, forests etc.

Functions of Biosphere Reserve

There are tripartite i.e. three main functions of the biosphere reserve given follow

Conservation

Conservation of diversity and integrity of plants and animals within natural ecosystems

Development

Sustainable use of natural resources for the Cultural, Social, Economic development of local community

Logistics Support

Provide areas and facilities for multi-faceted research and monitoring

List of Biospheres in India

Currently, there are 18 notified biosphere reserves in India.
The list of Biosphere Reserves in India notified chronologically, is given below.

No.	Name of Biosphere Reserve	Year of Notification	Location (States)
1	Nilgiri	1986	Part of Wayanad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Madumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley, and Siruvani hills (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka).
2	Nanda Devi	1988	Part of Chamoli, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar districts (Uttarakhand).
3	Nokrek	1988	Part of Garo Hills (Meghalaya).
4	Great Nicobar	1989	Southernmost islands of Andaman And Nicobar (A&N Islands).
5	Gulf of Mannar	1989	The Indian part of the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka (Tamil Nadu).
6	Manas	1989	Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamprup, and Darang districts (Assam).
7	Sunderbans	1989	Part of the delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river system (West Bengal).
8	Simlipal	1994	Part of the Mayurbhanj district (Orissa).
9	Dibru-Saikhowa	1997	Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia Districts (Assam).
10	Dehang-Dibang	1998	Part of Siang and Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.
11	Pachmarhi	1999	Parts of Betul, Hoshangabad, and Chindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh.
12	Khangchendzonga	2000	Parts of Khangchendzonga hills and Sikkim.
13	Agasthyamalai	2001	Neyyar, Peppara, and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries and their adjoining areas in Kerala.
14	Achanakamar – Amarkantak	2005	Covers parts of Anupur and Dindori districts of M.P. and parts of Bilaspur districts of Chhattishgarh State.
15	Kachchh	2008	Part of Kachchh, Rajkot, Surendra Nagar, and Patan Civil Districts of Gujarat State.
16	Cold Desert	2009	Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh.
17	Seshachalam Hills	2010	Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh.
18	Panna	2011	Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in Madhya Pradesh.

Out of these 18 biosphere reserves from India, there are 11 biosphere reserves that are internationally recognised under the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) of the Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO.

Man And Biosphere (MAB) Programme

MAB programme was launched in 1971.
It is an intergovernmental scientific programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between nature and human.
Biosphere Reserves are nominated by the national government for inclusion in the world network of biospheres.
Then the committee of MAB programme recognises the BRs after fulfilling the criteria.
There are currently 669 sites in 120 countries in World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) of the Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme.
Out of these, 10 BRs are from India.

List of Biosphere reserves in MAB Programme

Nilgiri Biosphere- Oldest entry from India in the list in 2000
Gulf of Mannar
Sundarban
Nanda Devi
Nokrek
Simplipal
Pachmarhi
Achanakamar- Amarkantak
Great Nicobar
Agasthyamalai- Latest entry from India in the list in 2016
Khangchendzonga- Added in 2018

UNESCO Protected Biosphere Reserves – International Status

Recently, Panna Biosphere Reserve was also given the International status of UNESCO Protected Biosphere Reserve. The status was given in the year 2020, and prior to that, the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve from India was also included in this list in 2018. With the addition of the two Biosphere Reserves, 12 of the 18 biosphere reserves in the country have become part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves which is based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.

The UNESCO Protected Biosphere Reserves list in India are given below:

YEAR	NAME	STATES
2000	Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve	Tamil Nadu
2001	Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve	Tamil Nadu
2001	Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve	West Bengal
2004	Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve	Uttarakhand
2009	Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve	Madhya Pradesh
2009	Nokrek Biosphere Reserve	Meghalaya
2009	Simlipal Biosphere Reserve	Odisha
2012	Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve	Chhattisgarh
2013	Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve	Great Nicobar
2016	Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve	Kerala and Tamil Nadu
2018	Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve	Part of North and West Sikkim districts
2020	Panna Biosphere Reserve	Madhya Pradesh