THE United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) named 11 countries with biosphere reserves, including one in the Philippines, in a new list it released on Friday, the agency said in a statement on its website.
Located in the Apayao province, the yApayaos Biosphere Reserve consists of two distinct regions — Lower and Upper Apayao.
“This biosphere reserve in the Province of Apayao is divided into two distinct regions: the Upper Apayao sports rugged terrain with towering peaks, plateaus and valleys, whereas the Lower Apayao features flatlands adorned with rolling hills and plateaus,” Unesco said on its website. “Stretching 180 kilometers, the majestic Apayao River serves as a vital watershed, nurturing 18 tributaries across the province.”
NEW UNESCO SITE Known for its Indigenous Cultural Communities and its ecological significance, the yApayaos Biosphere Reserve is named among the new Unesco biosphere reserves on July 5, 2024. PHOTO FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM-CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND THE UNESCO WEBSITE
According to the Apayao provincial government, the announcement of the yApayaos making the Unesco list was made during the 36th session of the UN organization’s International Coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere Program (ICC MAB) on Friday in Agadir, Morocco.
“The designation as a Unesco Biosphere Reserve means that areas in Apayao are now protected for biodiversity conservation. This solidifies the efforts of the Provincial Government of Apayao (PGA) and partner agencies in conserving and managing the last forest frontier of the Cordillera, especially with Unesco’s assistance,” the PGA said in a Facebook post on Friday.
This historic achievement was delayed due to the pandemic, but after more than six years of preparation, the PGA has finally earned this extraordinary distinction,” it added.
The name “yApayaos,” as described by Unesco, was “a name that encompasses both the people and diverse flora and fauna living in the area.”
Unesco also mentioned the biosphere reserve’s ethnolinguistic groups and its 10 Indigenous Cultural Communities, including the Isneg community, which comprises 30 percent of its population of 124,366 people.
The Isneg community upholds the Lapat system, “a unique customary practice regulating the use of natural resources and protection of the environment.”
In addition, being recognized for its ecological significance, Unesco said the Apayao Lowland Forest Key Biodiversity Area has “high levels of endemism” and is also serving as a refuge for critically endangered species that also includes the country’s national bird, the Philippine eagle.
The yApayaos biosphere reserve spans 3,960 square kilometers and has rice and corn, with ecotourism progressing in Apayao.
This day marks another milestone not just for our beloved province but also for our beloved country, the Philippines,” Apayao Gov. Elias Bulut Jr. said during his acceptance speech at the Unesco event. “As the Biosphere Reserve of the yApayaos, we hope to inspire other potential learning spaces for conservation and sustainable development in the Philippines and around the world.”
“Together, we strive for our shared mission and responsibility to save and nurture what is left of our natural resources, thereby saving globally endangered species like the majestic Philippine eagle from extinction and protecting our planet from the brink of destruction,” the governor said. “The establishment of this biosphere reserve underscores the importance of our collective responsibility and common purpose to believe in a future for both people and the environmental drive.”
Bulut said Apayao started the nomination process in 2018, and the decision to nominate the province for the biosphere reserve inscription was “greatly influenced” by his father and the “Founder of Apayao,” the late governor Elias Bulut Sr.
Other countries with biosphere reserves on the list include Belgium, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Mongolia, the Netherlands, South Korea, Slovenia, Spain and The Gambia.
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