Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve

• 29 Sep 2025

Source: TH 

Why in News?

The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (CDBR) in Himachal Pradesh, along with 25 other biosphere reserves across several countries, has been included in World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) by UNESCO. 

• São Tomé and Príncipe (island country of Central Africa) becomes the first state to have its entire territory designated as a biosphere reserve.

What are Key Facts Regarding the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve?

• Location: In the Trans-Himalayan region, the reserve covers the entire Spiti Wildlife Division and adjoining areas of the Lahaul Forest Division, including Baralacha Pass, Bharatpur, and Sarchu (altitudes 3,300–6,600 m). 
  • It was declared a biosphere reserve in 2009, becoming India’s 16th and first high-altitude cold desert biosphere reserve.
• Landscape: It integrates Pin Valley National Park, Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandratal Wetland, featuring windswept plateaus, glacial valleys, alpine lakes, and high-altitude desert, making it one of the coldest and driest ecosystems in WNBR.  
• Floral Diversity: It contains 14 endemic, 68 native, and 62 threatened plant species, including key medicinal plants such as Salix spp., Betula utilis etc.
  • It supports hardy alpine grasses, medicinal herbs, and rare stands of Willow-leaved sea-buckthorn, Himalayan birch, and Persian juniper.
• Faunal Diversity: It is home to rare and endangered species, including the snow leopard, Himalayan wolf, Tibetan antelope, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan griffon, Himalayan ibex, bearded vulture, red fox, and Tibetan gazelle.

What is the World Network of Biosphere Reserves?

• About: The World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) consists of a dynamic and interactive network of sites of excellence. 
• Objective: It promotes North-South, South-South and South-North-South collaboration and represents a unique tool for international cooperation through the exchange of experiences and know-how, capacity-building and the promotion of best practices among Biosphere Reserves.
• UNESCO Affiliation: The WNBR operates under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere Programme.
• Global Coverage: The WNBR now includes 785 sites in 142 countries, with an additional one million sq km of natural areas brought under protection since 2018 — equivalent to the size of Bolivia.

Biosphere Reserve

• About: A Biosphere Reserve (BR) is an international designation by UNESCO for significant natural and cultural landscapes, covering extensive terrestrial, coastal, or marine ecosystems, or a combination of these. 
  • They are an in situ conservation method that balances economic and social development with cultural and natural preservation, exemplifying harmonious human-environment coexistence.
• Function: Biosphere reserves serve three main functions:
  • Conservation: Protecting biodiversity and cultural diversity.
  • Economic Development: Promoting socio-culturally and environmentally sustainable growth.
  • Logistic support: Facilitating development through research, monitoring, education, and training.
• Structure of BR: Biosphere reserves achieve their functions through three zones:
  • Core areas: Strictly protected for conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species, and genetics (e.g., National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary)
  • Buffer zones: Surround the core for eco-friendly activities supporting research, monitoring, training, and education.
  • Transition area: Where communities engage in socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable economic and human activities.

• Criteria for Designation of BR: A site should have a protected, minimally disturbed core area of conservation value, large enough to sustain viable populations across all trophic levels and representing a bio-geographical unit. 
  • It should involve local communities, incorporating their knowledge in biodiversity preservation, and support the preservation of traditional tribal or rural lifestyles for harmonious environmental use.

Biosphere Reserve in India

• Overview: India launched the Biosphere Reserve scheme in 1986, guided by the UNESCO MAB Programme, as India is a signatory to the landscape approach promoted by MAB.
• Financial Assistance: Under the scheme, funding is provided in a 90:10 ratio to the North Eastern Region States and three Himalayan states, and in a 60:40 ratio to other states for the maintenance, improvement, and development of biosphere reserves.
  • The State Government prepares the Management Action Plan for each reserve, which is then approved and monitored by the Central MAB Committee.
• BR in India: India has 18 biosphere reserves, of which 13 are now listed in UNESCO’s WNBR.

Conclusion

The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve exemplifies high-altitude ecosystem conservation and sustainable human-environment coexistence. Its inclusion in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves reinforces India’s commitment to biodiversity protection, cultural preservation, and sustainable development through integrated management, research, and community participation under the MAB Programme framework.

Drishti Mains Question:

Q. Explain the concept of a Biosphere Reserve as defined by UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. How does its three-zonal structure aim to reconcile the conflict between conservation and development?

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year’s Question (PYQs)

Prelims

Q.1 Consider the following pairs: (2013)

1. Nokrek Biosphere Reserve : Garo Hills
2. Logtak (Loktak) Lake : Barail Range
3. Namdapha National Park : Dafla Hills

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) None

Ans: (a)

Q.2 The most important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity together with traditional human life is the establishment of (2014)

(a) biosphere reserves

(b) botanical gardens

(c) national parks

(d) wildlife sanctuaries

Ans: (a)