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Urbanisation of Protected Areas within the European Union—An Analysis of UNESCO Biospheres and the Need for New Strategies

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  • Maryann Harris

    (School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
    Parks and Landscape Services, Dublin City Council, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, Ireland)

  • Claire Cave

    (School of Archaeology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland)

  • Karen Foley

    (Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
    School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland)

  • Thomas Bolger

    (School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
    Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland)

  • Tamara Hochstrasser

    (School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
    Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland)

Abstract

The UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BRs) comprise core conservation areas supported by a buffer and transition zone of sustainable development. This zoning can help manage urbanisation around conservation areas. Although it is UNESCO policy to measure the number of BRs that have interactions with urban areas, there has been no systematic assessment of urban biospheres since 2008. This research addresses this deficit by measuring the extent of urbanisation of all designated BRs within the European Union (EU). Using the Copernicus Urban Atlas, the proximity of BRs to Functional Urban Areas (FUA) was determined. The results show that 46% (76/167) of BRs are situated within FUAs, including 11% (18/167) entirely within an FUA. The majority (64%) of EU-28 countries have BRs within FUAs. Urban influences on EU-28 BRs are extensive, as 90% are found within 50 km of an FUA. However, integration with urban areas may be lacking as 14% of EU BRs were adjacent to an FUA. Urban pressures are acute for 11% of EU BRs which had multiple FUAs within a 50 km radius. Therefore, urbanisation of BRs is a widespread challenge and recommendations are provided for BRs to function as an information sharing network and develop a new urban strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Maryann Harris & Claire Cave & Karen Foley & Thomas Bolger & Tamara Hochstrasser, 2019. "Urbanisation of Protected Areas within the European Union—An Analysis of UNESCO Biospheres and the Need for New Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:21:p:5899-:d:279652
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Filipe Batista e Silva & Hugo Poelman, 2016. "Mapping population density in Functional Urban Areas - A method to downscale population statistics to Urban Atlas polygons," JRC Research Reports JRC103756, Joint Research Centre.
    2. Wenwu Du & Sofia M. Penabaz-Wiley & Anthony Murithi Njeru & Isami Kinoshita, 2015. "Models and Approaches for Integrating Protected Areas with Their Surroundings: A Review of the Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-27, June.
    3. Marta F. Calvache & María-José Prados & Júlia M. Lourenço, 2016. "Assessment of National Parks affected by naturbanization processes in Southern Europe," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(9), pages 1629-1655, September.
    4. James E. M. Watson & Nigel Dudley & Daniel B. Segan & Marc Hockings, 2014. "The performance and potential of protected areas," Nature, Nature, vol. 515(7525), pages 67-73, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Erik Aschenbrand & Thomas Michler, 2021. "Why Do UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Get Less Recognition than National Parks? A Landscape Research Perspective on Protected Area Narratives in Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Erik Aschenbrand, 2022. "How Can We Promote Sustainable Regional Development and Biodiversity Conservation in Regions with Demographic Decline? The Case of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Elbe River Landscape Brandenburg, Germany," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, September.

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