The Isle of Wight UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve is featured on the newly illustrated map, now available to download for free from the UK National Commission for UNESCO.
The map — designed by the creative cartographer Tom Woolley — marks the first time that all of the Biosphere Reserves, Creative Cities, Global Geoparks and World Heritage Sites across the British Isles have been gathered together.
It shows how visitors to the UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) sites can immerse themselves in spectacular vistas, dive into literary or film heritage, scale mountains, uncover legends and folklore, or find out about local heritage.
The map, released online this week, includes 29 World Heritage Sites, 13 Creative Cities, nine Global Geoparks and seven Biosphere Reserves that cover 13% of the UK’s landmass.
Natasha Dix, the Isle of Wight Council’s strategic manager for the environment, said:
“As 1 of only 7 biosphere reserves to appear on the UK UNESCO sites map, we are delighted to be able to showcase the beauty and importance of the Island to locals and visitors alike. We are proud of our heritage and natural beauty that must be preserved and enhanced for generations to come.”
“So whether you’re looking to inspire your mental wellbeing through experiencing the serenity of our landscapes, to stretch your legs and walk the coast, or just sit back and enjoy all the Island has to offer, you’re welcome here. Come and enjoy!”
Designated on 19th June 2019, the Isle of Wight UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve is a large designation covering the whole of the Island’s land surface and all of its inshore waters, including most of the Solent.
It has been recognised for its unique mix of plants and animals, valued environment and sustainable way of life of the people who live and work within the reserve.
The map can be downloaded from: https://unesco.org.uk/our-sites. For more information on the Isle of Wight UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, visit: https://iwbiosphere.org/
Would be wonderful IF this meant the Island was protected from invasive damaging species, which not being native to this environment have been introduced in error and now too numerous to remove.
Let’s hope it can mean the situation is lessened so our own native species can, as it once did, thrive again
An impossible wish I fear., Japanese Knot weed , Himalayan Balsam and other more damaging invaders are now here for bad, not good
Yet more houses continued to be approved and built… Shows how little the council cares about this.
The Council are clueless
I wont have that Paul.
Clueless makes them appear naive. They know just what they are at, and whilst dim posts say they are stupid closing schools, allowing surgeries to close, yet building more and more houses, THEY have private health care, dental treatment, education and live in quiet leafy lanes, away from the HMO’s druggy, drunk, imported criminals which they are happy to inflict upon us, as THEY the council get more money the more houses which are crammed into the Island as even if, as many don’t they don’t pay c.tax, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT do, so the council get more in their coffers, pension funds and salaries, YET suffer none of the ill effects of the worlds as well as our own flotsam filling a once beautiful area
Many of those homes Joe WILL be filled with the damaging invasive species which arrive without being vetted and have no paperwork to show such is safe to be released here.
The problem has already started and will escalate at an alarming pace as it has on the UK mainland and these invasive lifeforms expand very quickly once established.
Read the echo in a decade as see if it is so.
Our Council Planning Committee must be oblivious to this listing by UNESCO, they need to consult with Ms Dix before they allow these ridiculous huge housing developments to be rubber stamped, in many cases destroying animal and plant habitats.
The priority should be to approve developments in our towns to repurpose unused commercial premises, as the demand for retail and office premises in towns is clearly waning. Any proposed development of 10 houses or more should be objectively scrutinised in the context of need, the impact it will have on our failing infrastructure, our school and medical provision and the need to retain the rural nature of the Isle of Wight, lest we cease to be a popular holiday destination.