Vol 4, No 1 (2020) International Journal of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves
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Item Lessons from the Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve, Oregon, USA(Electronic version published by Vancouver Island University, 2020) Byers, Bruce A.Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve is Oregon’s only biosphere reserve. It was one of the first group of U.S. biosphere reserves established in 1976 and is one of only two administered by the U.S. Forest Service among the 28 biosphere reserves that remain in the U.S. MAB network. With its complex social and ecological landscape, Cascade Head is a perfect place to test the biosphere concept. It is a microcosm, and its lessons learned about how to create a resilient relationship between humans and nature apply anywhere. Five themes describe the evolving relationship between people and nature at Cascade Head: resistance, research, restoration, reconciliation, and resilience. Unique aspects of the history of UNESCO biosphere reserves in the United States are not widely recognized in the literature, but can help explain their current relationship to the rest of the world network. Cascade Head provides lessons about the periodic review process required by the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program, the problems with rigid models of zonation in biosphere reserves, and the complexity of stakeholders and governance. Three overarching lessons from Cascade Head stand out. One is the critical role of individuals and the importance of inspired, value-based, individual action. A second is that despite decades of research, ecological mysteries still abound, and the need for research to underpin decisions will never end. Finally, the Cascade Head story shows the importance of worldviews – how we think about the human-nature relationship – in shaping individual and collective actions.Item Reaching common ground: The potential for interagency collaboration in UNESCO biosphere reserves(Electronic version published by Vancouver Island University, 2020) Ostrem, Julie A.; Hvenegaard, Glen T.In an increasingly urbanized and degraded world, protected areas provide opportunities for people to connect with nature. Biosphere reserves strive for coexistence between the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development practices through people and agencies living and working in harmony with nature at a regional scale. This article explores the potential for collaboration among stakeholders in biosphere reserves. The diverse range of social actors involved in biosphere reserves provides a good environment for implementing collective impact theory and trust theory. These theoretical frameworks allow for deeper understanding of how stakeholders connect through a more holistic and cohesive decision-making process. Envisioned to facilitate social innovation, these theories have emerged in a variety of settings across the globe to enable collaboration. However, little is known about the implementation and success of these theories in biosphere reserves. This article evaluates the feasibility of the practical implementation of these theories through the lens of environmental education and heritage interpretation in the Beaver Hills Biosphere in central Alberta, Canada.Item Research at North Bull Island UNESCO Biosphere: An overview of studies completed 1995-2014(Electronic version published by Vancouver Island University, 2020)North Bull Island, due to its international scientific importance for flora and fauna and also its close proximity to the capital city and many national universities, has long been a resource for education and scientific discovery. Since the establishment of the Biosphere in 1981, there has been a substantial body of work produced by Irish and international researchers. However, this information had not been gathered and collated for the Biosphere and remains housed in university library collections. It is desirable to guide future research by enabling students to see what has already been done and what baseline data has been collected at this important site.Item Restoration of bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) in the Strait of Georgia(Electronic version published by Vancouver Island University, 2020) Tomlin, Haley; Schellenberg, Chrissy; Shaw, PamelaBull kelp is an annual species that completes its life cycle within a single growing season and reproduces in the same location from year to year. Unfortunately, bull kelp has declined in the Strait of Georgia over the past several decades and is no longer found in locations where previously abundant. To combat this decline, the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute (MABRRI) has aimed to re-establish bull kelp beds within the Strait of Georgia by installing bull kelp enhancement plots; this is conducted using the methods established by Project Watershed for their bull kelp enhancement plots off Hornby Island. The work performed by MABRRI, as well as Project Watershed, is an important restoration initiative that aims to contribute to re-establishing bull kelp beds within the Strait of Georgia.Item International Journal of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves - Volume 4, Issue 1 (2020)(Electronic version published by Vancouver Island University, 2020)Volume 4, Issue 1 of the International Journal of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.