The Fundy Biosphere Region is located next to the upper
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy (french: Baie de Fundy) is a bay between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine. It is an arm of the Gulf of Maine. Its extremely high tidal range is the hi ...
, covering 442,250
hectare
The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is a ...
s in
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. The area was named and designated as such by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
) in 2007.
Fundy Biosphere Initiative Inc. is an environmental
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
organization whose mission is based on the conservation of biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable development within the
Bay of Fundy Canada
UNESCO is still involved within this development today; the Bay itself contains a lot to observe and its development
Hopewell Rocks
The Hopewell Rocks, also called the Flowerpots Rocks or simply The Rocks, are rock formations known as sea stacks caused by tidal erosion in the Hopewell Rocks Ocean Tidal Exploration Site at the Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park in New Brunswick, ...
is the provincial park located within the Bay of Fundy, Canada.
It is on a main priority list within UNESCO no other information was placed.
Geography
The Fundy Biosphere Region is situated in south-eastern New Brunswick. It includes the watershed of the Bay of Fundy between
Saint Martins and borders
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
. The central area of the reserve corresponds with Fundy National Park. The reserve also includes the city of
Moncton
Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the The Maritimes, Maritime Provinces. The ...
, which is the only officially bilingual city in Canada.
The reserve is located on the
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy (french: Baie de Fundy) is a bay between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine. It is an arm of the Gulf of Maine. Its extremely high tidal range is the hi ...
which is tied with
Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay (french: baie d'Ungava, ; iu, ᐅᖓᕙ ᑲᖏᖅᓗᒃ/) is a bay in northeastern Canada separating Nunavik (far northern Quebec) from Baffin Island. Although not geographically apparent, it is considered to be a marginal sea of the ...
for the largest
tidal range
Tidal range is the difference in height between high tide and low tide. Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and Sun and the rotation of Earth. Tidal range depends on time and location.
...
on earth.
The Fundy Biosphere Region extends over an area of 442,250 hectares adjacent to the upper Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. The region begins at Saint Martin's, passes through
Moncton
Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the The Maritimes, Maritime Provinces. The ...
, including almost all of
Albert County
Albert County (2016 population 29,158) is New Brunswick's third-youngest county located on the Western side of the Petitcodiac River on the Chignecto Bay in the Bay of Fundy. Prior to the abolition of county government in 1967, the shire town w ...
, and stops at the
Tantramar Marsh, close to
Sackville. The borders of the region follow the limits of the
watershed
Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...
of the upper region of the Bay of Fundy.
The region is divided into three zones:
*Core area: 20,600 hectares: devoted to long-term conservation. In the case of the Fundy Biosphere Region, this central region is represented by
Fundy National Park
Fundy National Park is a national park of Canada located on the Bay of Fundy, near the village of Alma, New Brunswick. It was officially opened on 29 July 1950. The park showcases a rugged coastline which rises up to the Canadian Highlands, the ...
.
*Buffer zone: 26,124 hectares: Human activity in this zone is controlled to ensure the conservation of the core area. The buffer zone includes the
protected natural areas of
Little Salmon River,
Dowdall Lake,
McManus Hill,
Point Wolfe River Gorge
Point or points may refer to:
Places
* Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland
* Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States
* Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
* Poin ...
,
Caledonia Gorge
Caledonia (; ) was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the part of Great Britain () that lies north of the River Forth, which includes most of the land area of Scotland. Today, it is used as a romantic or poetic name for all ...
,
Wilson Brook
Wilson may refer to:
People
* Wilson (name)
** List of people with given name Wilson
** List of people with surname Wilson
* Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender
* Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson R ...
, provincial parks including the
Fundy Trail
The Fundy Footpath is a hiking trail that starts at the Fundy Trail Parkway from Big Salmon River to Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, Canada
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and te ...
and the
Hopewell Rocks
The Hopewell Rocks, also called the Flowerpots Rocks or simply The Rocks, are rock formations known as sea stacks caused by tidal erosion in the Hopewell Rocks Ocean Tidal Exploration Site at the Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park in New Brunswick, ...
, and the
National Wildlife Area
A National Wildlife Area is a conservation designation for a geographical region in Canada that restricts most human activities on that region. However, land use permits may be issued "for activities that are compatible with conservation". Suc ...
s of Shepody and
Tantramar.
*Transition area: 395,552 hectares: reserved for local activities that promote sustainable development.
Biology and ecology
The reserve contains a variety of habitats including mixed wood forests, tidal
mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal fl ...
s and
salt marsh
A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is dominated ...
es. Like much of this part of the North American coastline, the coastline is rocky.
UNESCO has identified 8 species in the reserve that require conservation efforts, including the peregrine falcon and the Canada lynx.
History
The initiative to create the Fundy Biosphere Region came from a group of volunteers in 1999. FBR was officially recognized by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
on November 21, 2007.
It became a member of a family of 19 other Canadian biosphere regions and one of over 700 biosphere regions throughout the world.
Initially, the project was titled The Fundy Biosphere Reserve Initiative (FBRI). A planning committee was formed to examine the requirements of UNESCO's
Man and the Biosphere Programme
Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
MAB's work engag ...
, work with the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association (CBRA), and seek input from stakeholders including conservation groups, resources sectors, academic institutions, and scientists.
The committee suggested that the region currently recognized be called the Fundy Biosphere and secured UNESCO designation by meeting the requirements: evidence of unique ecosystems, landscapes, and heritage of the area. The committee also sought to enhance the image of the area regionally, nationally, and internationally as well as encourage the development of a sustainable economy in the region. At this time, the objectives of FBR were to encourage investment in the public and private sectors, attract technical expertise, and enable scientists to participate in sustainable development strategies.
The planning committee's proposition was based on the following:
* Identify the special landscapes in the region of the Bay of Fundy and their unique attributes;
* Identify the history and the culture of the region;
* Identify citizen initiatives and the various stakeholders’ engagement in the sustainable development of the region.
A temporary board of directors was established in 2006 to manage the project. UNESCO then gave approval from its Board to continue with the appointment process. The review process was carried out by 16 communities within the region, 5
provincial government
A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or ...
departments, the
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO), administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, is Canada's national commission for UNESCO, actively advancing the organization's mandate to contribute to peace based on the intellectual and moral ...
, and a national review committee at the Head Office of UNESCO in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, France.
The final proposition was submitted to UNESCO in the summer of 2007, and the official designation was obtained in the fall of 2007, after which the Board of Directors established the structure of the organization. The project was renamed the Fundy Biosphere Reserve (FBR) (later renamed Fundy Biosphere Region) and ''Fundy Biosphere Initiative Inc''.
Organization
Fundy Biosphere Initiative Inc. is an environmental, non-profit organization that works with local communities, conservation groups, natural resource sectors, tourism organizations, and academic institutions to ensure the
conservation
Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws.
Conservation may also refer to:
Environment and natural resources
* Nature conservation, the protection and manageme ...
of the
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
in the upper region of the Bay of Fundy, thereby promoting sustainable economic development.
The UNESCO Fundy Biosphere Region is dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable economic development. Its vision is to assist communities located in the upper Bay of Fundy to be more sustainable by working with various stakeholders while preserving the area's natural heritage.
Fundy Biosphere Region works in three spheres of activities to support its goals:
*Conservation – Ensure the conservation of ecosystems, species and genetic diversity in the region of Fundy.
*Sustainable Development – Promote sustainable development in the region. Sustainable development is a development that is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable for further generations.
*Capacity Building – Provide an information-sharing network between the FBR and various stakeholders. The capacity building aims for awareness, education, training and research.
Among other things, the objectives of the FBR are to:
*Work with stakeholders in order to help communities become more sustainable.
*Exchange information with the public and stakeholders.
*Develop a governance model based on Research, Monitoring, Education and Outreach committees.
Projects and initiatives
Generally, the projects of the Fundy Biosphere Region revolve around three fields of activities: conservation, sustainable development, and capacity building. The Fundy Biosphere Region's ongoing projects touch
sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs of host communities. Su ...
, local knowledge and climate, trails and amazing places in the Biosphere Region and education of the public on their own environmental footprint.
See also
*
List of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Canada
Under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, there are 302 biosphere reserves recognized as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in Europe and North America (as of April 2016). These are distributed across 36 countries in the region ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
* http://www.fundy-biosphere.ca
* http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nb/fundy/index.aspx
* http://www.thehopewellrocks.ca/
* https://sites.google.com/a/fundy-biosphere.ca/the-bay-of-fundy-mudflats/
Geography of New Brunswick
Biosphere reserves of Canada
Geography of Albert County, New Brunswick