Biosphere reserves as a model for restoration and conservation in Latin America

The greatest challenge for Latin America is the loss of biodiversity produced by the deforestation and fragmentation of ecosystems.  The economic and productive model used nowadays, involves a minimal part of the biological biodiversity, the land use is extensive and does not take into account the cultural diversity.

 Under these conditions, biodiversity protection and conservation are a high priority.  The main effort has focused on isolating areas which are considered more or less undisturbed and with high diversity values.  Nevertheless, the availability of these sites is smaller each day, because of urban growth as well as land dedicated to agriculture and cattle ranching.  The needs of the expanding human population have taken us to an impasse.

 Multiple agreements and international attempts and proposals exist; they are trying to reverse this situation and develop a harmony between biological diversity, cultural diversity and sustainable development.  Among them, one of the most outstanding and successful is the program of biosphere reserves.  In Latin America 88 reserves have been created, distributed in most of the countries.

 A new development model based on the conservation and restoration of ecological processes and of key species is being developed in the Latin American reserves.  This model recognizes the landscape as an always changing mosaic that integrates production areas, abandoned fields and the conservation of woodlands, all being connected.

 This nature´s ethics has very old roots.  Its present development is based on the scientific knowledge, the traditional knowledge and the needs of society.