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Santana Madeira Biosfera

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Characterization of Santana Madeira Biosphere

The municipality of Santana, in Madeira, saw the wealth of its patrimony recognized, at 29 of June of 2011, with its classification under the UNESCO through the MAB program which aims to promote sustainable development.

The Biosphere Reserve corresponds to the totality of the emerged area of the municipality of Santana and includes the adjacent sea area until the 200 meters bathymetric line.

The total resident population in the area of the Biosphere Reserve is of 7 719 inhabitants, of which 99% live in the Transition Zone, 1% in the Buffer Zone and 0% in the Core Zones.

  • Core Zones are Places of Community Importance, that integrate the Natura 2000 network and includes areas of the Laurissila Forest and the Central Mountainous Massif and maritime reserve of “Rocha do Navio”;
  • The Buffer Zone corresponds to the zones of controled use through diverse instruments of management and territorial order;
  • The Transition Zone consists mainly of agricultural and urban lands (public and private), its usage subject to rules.
Mapa

Zoning Map.

Santana Madeira Biosphere's Logo

The Santana Biosphere Reserve represents itself by a brand consisting of two representative elements: the mountain orchid and the islet of “Rocha do Navio”. The mountain orchid represents the richness of the endemic forest, inserted in the Laurissilva forest. The islet “Rocha do Navio” makes reference to the maritime reserve of “Rocha do Navio”. Thus, the logo represents the elements constituents of the Core Zone of the Reserve: the Laurissilva Forest and the sea wealth. As for the colors, the green is associated with the forests and agricultural fields that compose the Reserve and the blue represents the sea that delimits the north side of this protected area.

Biosfera

Logo Santana Madeira Biosphere.

Management Unit

The coordination of the Biosphere Reserve and the entire process of planning and management is under the responsibility of the municipality of Santana. It was precisely the Municipality who took over from the start the intention to develop and create a Biosphere Reserve and managed to gather all the necessary support around this project.

The management of the World Biosphere Reserve Santana Madeira, after deliberation of the municipal Council, focuses on so-called "Management Unit" constituted by the Municipality of Santana, by the Terra Cidade, the Director of the Natural Park of Madeira, Dr. Paulo Oliveira and the President of the order of Biologists and coordinator of the application to biosphere reserve, Dr. Domingos Abreu.

Biosfera

The three main functions of a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

This Management Unit has as main objective the management of environmental aspects and socio economic development related to the extent declared by UNESCO and serves as an element that coordinates and ensures that the functions and objectives of the reserves meet. The Management Unit takes into account the three main functions of the reserve: conserving, so as to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variability; development, in order to contribute to economic and humane sustainability, that its socio cultural and ecologically sustainable; Logistics, in order to equip the municipality for research, monitoring, education and information exchange related to local, national and global development and conservation issues.

The Management Unit of Santana Biosphere Reserve has defined in its action plan projects aimed at the proper functioning of the buffer and the promotion of innovative activities revealing of the sustainable development. Some of the projects had already their implementation, such as: the creation of a network of biosphere reserve (Centre of Rocha do Navio); the integration of the international project "Smart Biosphere Reserve"; and the realization of education actions for guides and other agents in the area of tourism.

UNESCO National Committee

Since its inception, UNESCO aims to contribute to peace and security in the world, through education, science, culture and communication between the Nations, in order to ensure universal respect for Justice, the law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. The close links that the organization establishes with the National Committees and other partners in 195 countries, constitutes a pressure mode for effective application of its principles.

The National Commission of UNESCO – Portugal established in 1979, as part of its mission promotes the objectives of the Organization on the ground, being proactive and facilitator in projects and programs of UNESCO, working in close partnership with UNESCO networks, as for example, the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO.

This has as main objective to consolidate, disseminate and spreading good practices, through the promotion of education for sustainable development, contributing to active citizenship.

What is a Biosphere Reserve?

Unesco UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
MaB MaB: Man and the Biosphere Programme

The Biosphere Reserves are spaces recognized internationally by UNESCO , through the program the Man and the Biosphere - MAB which intends to reconcile the conservation of the natural and cultural diversity with the local social and economical development, promoting in this way a harmonious relation between man and nature. The attribution of the reward of World Biosphere Reserve constitutes the international recognition, not only of the local patrimonial riches, just as, of the activities and sectors, which in the constant form promote sustainable development.

The Biosphere Reserves try to integrate three main functions, the conservation of the biodiversity and of the cultural inheritance, the sustainable economical development from the environmental and sociocultural point of view and the logistic support for the investigation, monitor, environmental education and training. In this context, the Biosphere Reserves are considered:

  • Spaces of excellency for the development of new models that allow one better management of the natural resources and the human activities;
  • Instruments of support for the implementation of a sustainable development at a local level;
  • Places of learning.

Considering the natural characteristics, natural values and plans of management of the diverse areas that integrate them, the Biosphere Reserves traditionally are organized in three zones:

  • Core Area: it constitutes the main one and better preserved area of the ecosystem, being under several regimes of protection and where projects of research, monitoring and education are developed;
  • Buffer Zone: Intermediate area that involves and protects the Core Area, therefore the activities developed in this area are duly regulated;
  • Transition Zone: the most external area of the Reserve and where the community, the authorities and the scientific community cooperate in the management of the Reserve.

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