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Biosphere reserve idea
Biosphere reserves are "model regions" for sustainable development. Together with the people of the region, biosphere reserves develop and implement exemplary concepts for the protection, care and development of the area. The aim of biosphere reserves is not to conserve what already exists, but rather to show ways in which people can use nature and the landscape in the most nature-friendly and resource-conserving way possible and preserve the diverse natural features of the often historic cultural landscapes.
Biosphere reserves are recognized by UNESCO in the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program seit den 1970er Jahren weltweit anhand international festgelegter Kriterien anerkannt. Das Weltnetz der Biosphärenreservate umfasst derzeit 785 UNESCO-Biosphärenreservate in 142 Ländern (Stand: September 2025). Die Anerkennung und die Umsetzung der Kriterien wird hierbei regelmäßig in einem 10-Jahres-Turnus durch die UNESCO evaluiert.
With a total area of around 282,000 hectares, the UNESCO Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve spans several federal states and is the largest inland biosphere reserve in Germany. The federal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt are part of this large protected area along the Elbe - the second largest river in Germany.
In order to create a common basis for the management and development of the biosphere reserve, the biosphere reserve administrations of the federal states have drawn up an overarching framework concept, which must be adapted and revised at regular intervals in line with changing conditions.