CANADIAN BIOSPHERE RESERVE ASSOCIATION

The Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association [CBRA] is a non-profit charitable organization created in 1998 to
provide support and facilitate communication and collaboration among Canada’s 18 biosphere reserves. CBRA also engages in fundraising, provides a unified voice for national-scale endeavours, and promotes biosphere reserves as models of community-based sustainable development.

CBRA develops and directs national projects for the collective benefit of its member biosphere reserves, such as:

• biodiversity monitoring
• ecotourism development
• mapping of landscape change
• climate change adaptation
• ecological restoration
• development of cooperation plans
• social monitoring

The Canadian government, through Environment Canada, supported biosphere reserves through a contribution agreement [2008-2012]. Funds helped to build local capacity in Canadian biosphere reserves, and assisted in the coordination of national programs and projects.

The World Network of Biosphere Reserves facilitates cooperative activities – including scientific research and monitoring, environmental education and specialist training – and the exchange of information that can benefit all reserves such as research results, or experience in resolving specific issues.