UNESCO announces 13 awards for young researchers working in biosphere reserves

This is a greater number than usual for this annual award, as the Principality of Monaco is funding six studies focusing on marine, island and coastal issues specifically. The other awards are financed by UNESCO.

The 13 winners are, in alphabetical order (an asterisk denotes those projects funded by the Principality of Monaco):

(Benin)
she will be conducting a geospatial evaluation of mangrove ecosystems in the Oueme Lower Valley Biosphere Reserve and the transboundary Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Benin/Togo) and studying the level of pressures and the population’s dependence on these ecosystems, as well as indicators of ecological sustainability;

(Montenegro)
She will be identifying the extent of plastic contamination (macro-, meso- and microplastics) in surface sediments along the coast of the Tara River Basin Biosphere Reserve;

(Ecuador)
He will be using remote sensing and social data to assess changes to the shoreline on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos Biosphere Reserve, in order to assess risk to the shoreline;

(Bulgaria)
She will be investigating whether reintroducing the Alpine newt into Mount Vitosha can help a glacial relic cope with human pressures and global warming;

(Brazil)
She will be monitoring the reintroduction of the Spix Macaw in the Caatinga Biosphere Reserve;

(Bulgaria)
He will be studying alterations in Natura 2000 habitats in the Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve;

(Senegal)
He will be assessing the ecosystem services provided by the protected area of Sangomar in the Delta du Saloum Biosphere Reserve;

(Egypt)
She will be assessing the importance of Ebenus armitagei Schweinf, a subshrub, for Bedouin communities living in Omayed Biosphere Reserve on the Mediterranean coast, in a context of climate change;

(Mexico)
She will be studying climate change adaptation in La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, which is in Costa Rica and Panamá from the perspective of governance;

(Brazil)
He will be studying the (peri)urban Sao Paulo City Green Belt Biosphere reserve (Brazil) and Wienerwald Biosphere Reserve (Austria) as model regions of sustainable development;

(Madagascar)
She will be studying octopus in the protected seven bays area of the port city of Ansiranana in the north of the country;

(Burkina Faso)
She will be studying the threat posed to biodiversity by the current security crisis and human pressures in the Mare aux Hippopotames Biosphere Reserve;

(Indonesia)
He will be mapping and assessing the endangered songbird in Belambangan Biosphere Reserve.