Abstract:
UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is implemented through a world
network of biosphere reserves, which offer a holistic people-centered landscape-level conservation
approach. When successfully implemented the program enhances social–ecological system sustainability
and resilience. However, there remains a research gap in understanding and collating lessons
from individual sites for the benefit of the program globally. We assess MAB implementation in
South Africa’s oldest biosphere reserve, the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve (KBR; est. 1998). Using
semi-structured in-depth interviews with directors and the coordinator, complemented by document
analysis, we explore the governance and implementation learnings of the KBR as it has evolved.
The KBR program implementation is guided by global necessity, but driven by the local context,
which for the KBR translates to a non-profit organization cooperative governance model. The site
faces a perceived lack of government financial support and awareness of the ‘biosphere reserve’
concept. Despite these challenges, successes have emerged in the formation of local partnerships
to fulfil critical roles in socio-economic development and biodiversity conservation. The learnings
from KBR, as it strives to become a model site for sustainability, are useful for other sites similarly
operationalizing an international designation for local conditions.
