Engaging the United States Network of Biosphere Reserves in a changing social-political context

The United States was an integral part of the early growth of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), yet changing political and social contexts have impacted the relationship between the US and MAB. Poised at the start of a new period of activity, as the US reviews its strategy on its current and future engagement with MAB, it is critical to discuss the factors that have influenced the history of US involvement in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) and how the US will engage in the future. For the purpose of this article, the US Biosphere Network (USBN) refers to the current recently reinvigorated network of biosphere reserves in the US. As many of the USBN sites are partially or fully mountainous ecosystems, the renewed engagement of the USBN will contribute to the conservation of some of the nation’s most prized mountain landscapes. This article provides an overview of the biosphere reserve concept and of US involvement with the intergovernmental programme. We discuss challenges facing the USBN, including relevancy and inclusion, political relations with UNESCO, and perceptions of zoning. We present examples of opportunities and strategies that have been implemented by the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Network in a mountain region, followed by conclusions on revisioning MAB in the US and globally for the next 50 years.