Porto Santo is the second largest island of the the archipelago of Madeira and home to 5483 people. In addition to this, Porto Santo Biosphere Reserve is home to 2,110 species, some of which are exclusive to the island, and has just been named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with the aim to help reconcile human activity with the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
1. 25 new UNESCO Biosphere Reserves
Porto Santo Island is one of 25 locations which have recently been chosen to become a biosphere reserve by UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. A meeting of the International Co-ordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC) took place in late October, and it was here, by key figureheads, that the decision on these 25 locations was made. Other locations which received the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve name include Andorra’s Ordino biosphere reserve, Cabo Verde’s Fogo and Maio Biosphere Reserves and Luxembourg’s Minett Biosphere Reserve.
Twenty-five sites join @UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves, including the Asterousia Mountain Range Biosphere Reserve (Greece), the Minett Biosphere Reserve (Luxembourg), and the Island of Porto Santo Biosphere Reserve (Portugal)
— UN in Brussels (@UNinBrussels) October 30, 2020
🔗 https://t.co/DjlP6f2ouW pic.twitter.com/Cmu7zJOfIq
2. A diverse environment
Of the 2,110 species inhabiting the Porto Santo Biosphere Reserve, some are endemic, meaning they are exclusive to the island, its ecosystems and its natural and built landscapes. The terrestrial areas alone host more than 1,600 species with a high level of endemism, and there are 15 types of flora that are exclusive to Porto Santo. There are also many important marine reptiles and mammals inhabiting the area, including the rarest seal in the world, the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), and the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). The marine biodiversity there is yet to be fully catalogued.
IT’S OFFICIAL: Porto Santo is part of the @UNESCO biosphere reserve!
— Mara Catarina Silva (@maracatarinafs) October 28, 2020
Another step towards the wealth of natural heritage and biodiversity in the outermost regions.👏 https://t.co/s30EUtCYa2
3. Reconciling human activity with conservation of biodiversity
The aim of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves is to reconcile human activity with the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in these areas, which will be achieved through innovate research and awareness-raising work, in order to encourage sustainable development practices to help combat the loss of biodiversity and support the environment and its ecosystem. Tourism is Porto Santo’s most important economic sector, with its population increasing fourfold during the high season, so balancing human activity with the conservation of its biodiversity is extremely important.
