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[at-l] "Wildlands Project", "World Heritage Sites", Biosphere Reserves.

In a message dated 98-06-21 11:34:30 EDT, SaraSW@aol.com writes:

> 
>  Hi Cap'n Al-- I'm guessing this is another version of the biosphere plot
>  scare. As an Ag Dept employee, I was once requested by a caller to warn the
>  Commissioner that the UN is intending to destroy the agriculture system of 
> the
>  USA, and more specifically Ky, by  planting trees. He said the UN wants 
> people
>  to plant lots of tress so there won't be farmland left and we'll be unable 
> to
>  feed our people and the UN can take over and destroy us. He could not be
>  convinced that sounded self-destructive beyond belief. This sounds like the
>  same sort of thing. Has anyone on this list actually seen these UN symbols 
> at
>  the national parks? I haven't. Sally

I don't know about UN symbols on the National Parks. There are Parks that have
designated "World Heritage Sites"and/or "Biosphere Reserves." Below are links
to UN, NPS and other web sites on this. Read the Open Letter to Concerned
Citizens (link # 6) It is answering the charges (wildlands project) concerning
biosphere reserves. Check it out, make up your own mind. I'm posting the
letter in another email message for those, with email only.

Now back to the AT, hiking, backpacks, boots, sleeping bag and all that other
gear.

Wildbill

1. <A HREF="http://www.cr.nps.gov/worldheritage/grsm.htm">World Heritage
Sites-Great Smokey Mountains</A> 
2. <A HREF="http://www.cr.nps.gov/worldheritage/list2.htm">World Heritage
Sites in the United States</A> 
3. <A HREF="http://www.cr.nps.gov/worldheritage/Welcome.html">NPS
Links-->US/ICOMOS - NPS World Heritage Ho...</A> 
UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 
4. <A HREF="http://www.unesco.org/">UNESCO - United Nations Educational,
Scientif...</A> 
5. <A HREF="http://www.unesco.org/whc/">World Heritage</A> 

UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme
6.  <A HREF="http://www.mabnet.org/misc/update.html">Open Letter to Concerned
Citizens</A> <A HREF="http://www.mabnet.org/home2.html">
</A>7. U.S. Man & the Biosphere (MAB) Program 
8. <A HREF="http://www.mabnet.org/brprogram/Reserves/USA/RESERVES.HTML">United
States Biosphere Reserves</A> 
9. <A HREF="http://www.grandfather.com/MAB/MABintro.htm">Grandfather Mountain
- Linville, NC - The Mis...</A> 
 Within UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme, biosphere reserves are
established to promote and demonstrate a balanced relationship between humans
and the biosphere. Biosphere reserves are designated by the International Co-
ordinating Council of the MAB Programme, at the request of the State
concerned. Biosphere reserves, each of which remains under the sole
sovereignty of the State where it is situated and thereby submitted to State
legislation only, form a World Network in which participation by the States is
voluntary.

The present Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves has
been formulated with the objectives of enhancing the effectiveness of
individual biosphere reserves and strengthening common understanding,
communication and co-operation at regional and international levels. 

This Statutory Framework is intended to contribute to the widespread
recognition of biosphere reserves and to encourage and promote good working
examples. The delisting procedure foreseen should be considered as an
exception to this basically positive approach, and should be applied only
after careful examination, paying due respect to the cultural and socio-
economic situation of the country, and after 
consulting the government concerned. 

The text provides for the designation, support and promotion of biosphere
reserves, while taking account of the diversity of national and local
situations. States are encouraged to elaborate and implement national criteria
for biosphere reserves which take into account the special conditions of the
State concerned.  
      
CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS RESOURCES

MAN AND BIOSPHERE (MAB) PROGRAMME

------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme is an interdisciplinary programme of
research and training intended to develop the basis, within the natural and
the social sciences, for the rational use and conservation of the resources of
the biosphere, and for the improvement of the global relationship between
people and the environment.  
The overall programme is guided by the MAB International Co- ordinating
Council consisting of 34 Member States elected by the UNESCO General
Conference. Programme activities are conducted in more than 100 countries
under the direction of their MAB National Committees or focal points.  

Based on its experience in 14 projects areas developed from the beginning of
the Programme in 1971 until the early 1990s, MAB is now entering a new phase,
focusing on the following elements:  

1 The development and full use of the existing network of sites, identified as
biosphere reserves, of which 337 exist in 85 countries as of April 1996.
Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal/marine ecosystems,
where, through appropriate zoning patterns and management mechanisms, the
conservation of ecosystems and their biodiversity is combined with the
sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of local communities,
including relevant research, 
monitoring, education and training activities. They thus represent a major
tool for implementing the concerns of Agenda 21, the Convention on Biological
Diversity and other international agreements. The future development of the
World Network of Biosphere Reserves will be guided by the Strategy and
Statutary Framework for the world network drawn up at the International
Conference on Biosphere Reserves held in Seville in March 1995.  

2 Continuing efforts to reconcile conservation and the sustainable use of
biological diversity with socio-economic development and maintenace of
cultural values, at the ecosystem and landscape levels, covering different
geographical units such as catchment basins, land-water interfaces and urban-
rural systems in different parts of the world.  

3 Building up human and institutional capacities, including communication
networks using modern technologies, to help countries address complex, cross-
sectoral issues of environmet and development This new phase of the MAB
programme will be conducted in close cooperation with the appropriate partners
such as UNEP, FAO, ICSU, IUCN, ISSC and relevant programmes such as Diversitas
(IUBS, SCOPE, UNESCO, ICSU, IUMS), Ecotechnie (UNESCO, Cousteau Foundation),
People and Plants (UNESCO, WWF, Kew Botanic Gardens), the Global Terrestrial
Observing System (UNESCO, UNEP, FAO, WMO and ISCU), as well as with other
relevant UNESCO activities.  

The above activities concern mainly the Division of Ecological Sciences
(SC/ECO).
 
  
 
  
 
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