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Ponta Delgada ,  March 19, 2016

"Fajãs" of São Jorge classified by UNESCO as Biosphere Reserve

The International Coordinating Council of the MAB Programme - Man and the Biosphere of UNESCO classified today the "Fajãs" of São Jorge as Biosphere Reserve in Lima, Peru. This territory will now join the World Network World as a result of the application submitted by the Government of the Azores.
 
Approved unanimously and by acclamation, this classification includes nucleus, transition and buffer areas, covering the entire island of São Jorge and an adjacent marine area up to three miles off the coast.
 
The Government of the Azores welcomes the success of the Azorean application and highlights the involvement of various local actors in this initiative from the very beginning, including the municipalities of São Jorge, local associations and institutions, entities linked to scientific research and economic, environmental cultural activities, and individual personalities.
 
The Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and the Environment, through the Regional Directorate for the Environment, started the application process in 2014, which also included fifty letters of support from other countries and regions classified as Biosphere Reserve.
 
The island of São Jorge and its more than seventy "fajãs" - small plains along the sea that originated from landslides or lava - are a unique natural and cultural heritage in the context of the region and they have great potential in the external projection of the Region and in wealth generation.
 
Hence, its classification as Biosphere Reserve is an opportunity for the promotion of the Region on a global scale, bringing added value to products and services generated on São Jorge.
 
The Government of the Azores considers that the undeniable value of the natural and cultural heritage of São Jorge and its "fajãs," in particular, is worthy of this international designation by UNESCO. The latter also recognised the excellence of the Azorean application, defending that the relevant natural, landscape and cultural values of these areas should be optimised as vital aspects in the tourism promotion of the Region as a Nature Destination.
 
"The growing demand for protected areas as privileged spaces for leisure activities represents new business opportunities and, simultaneously, brings increased responsibilities to public authorities and citizens in the sustainable management of these resources," said the government official.
 
Biosphere Reserves are internationally recognised areas of terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems that are designed to meet the challenges of reconciling the Conservation of Nature with the demand for economic and social development and the maintenance of cultural values.
 
Four of the classified Biosphere Reserves in Portugal are located in the Azores, including the islands of Corvo, Flores and Graciosa and, from today, the "Fajãs" of São Jorge.
 
The Azores are one of the two regions of the world that were distinguished with all the classifications awarded by UNESCO; the other being the Jeju region in South Korea.
 
Only three of the 195 UNESCO member countries have been distinguished with all the classifications awarded by this UN organisation: "World Heritage," "Biosphere Reserve" and "Geopark. In addition to these, the Azores were also awarded the Ramsar international classification that distinguishes wetlands; UNESCO is also associated to this classification.
 
The 13 sites in the Azores classified under the Ramsar Convention are the following: crater lakes of Fajã dos Cubres and Fajã do Santo Cristo (S. Jorge island); Caldeira da Graciosa (Furna do Enxofre - Graciosa island); Caldeira do Faial (Faial island); Caldeirão do Corvo (Corvo island); volcanic complexes of Furnas, Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo (São Miguel island); Formigas islet and Dollabarat Reef (Santa Maria island); Planalto Central da Terceira (Furnas do Enxofre and Algar do Carvão) and Paul da Praia da Vitória (Terceira island); Planalto Central das Flores (Morro Alto - Flores island); Planalto Central de São Jorge (Pico da Esperança) and Planalto Central do Pico (Achada).
 
As for World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites in the Azores there are two areas classified as UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Historical Centre of Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira and the Protected Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture.
 
Since 2013, the Azores Geopark is unique in the world because it has 121 geosites on nine islands, covering the entire archipelago.
 
The United Nations Conference for the creation of an educational and cultural organisation was convened in London in 1945. A total of 37 countries signed on November 16 a letter establishing the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
 
In 1968, UNESCO organised the first intergovernmental conference with the purpose of harmonising environment and development, which is currently designated as "sustainable development"; it resulted in the creation of the "Man and Biosphere" programme.


GaCS/SRAA
 
 
 
 
 
   
 

Official government press-releases presented in all foreign languages interfaces of the Azorean Government Portal (Portal do Governo dos Açores) are a sub-set of the government's official press-releases daily output and are chosen for translation and publication on the foreign language interfaces based on audience segmentation criteria. The entire collection of the Azorean government press-releases is available in portuguese, here, from the GACS Press Office site.

 
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