Biospheres gather in Brighton

Each year, the Biospheres of UK and Ireland gather in person for a mini-conference. This year the meeting was hosted by the Living Coast Biosphere, which is a strip of the south coast of England that includes Brighton, Hove and Lewes. Darllen yn Gymraeg.

The meeting was organised by the UK Man and the Biosphere Committee which is part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Biospheres who attended included the Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Galloway and South Ayrshire, Wester Ross and Dublin Bay, with others joining online. There were also some areas who are applying for Biosphere status, including Doncaster and the Forest of Dean.

It included site visits to nature restoration projects (courtesy of Brighton and Hove Buses), a reception hosted by Brighton and Hove City Council in the Royal Pavilion and food by Sussex Surplus and the Real Junk Food Project.

There was lots to discuss with the other Biospheres, from local food and citizen science, to tourism and business engagement. An exciting new venture was the meeting of the new Youth Forum, which the Dyfi Biosphere is pleased to be part of.

Also present was chef Mauro Colagreco who is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador advocating for biodiversity and sustainable food. He had recently arranged a meal with ingredients from UK Biospheres at Raffles, in London, which included lamb supplied by the Dyfi Biosphere.

It was good also to meet colleagues from the Paris office of UNESCO and the UK government, as well as the UK National Committee for UNESCO. The Biosphere designation makes Wales visible internationally and we are excited about what we can achieve.

Reception hosted by Brighton and Hove City Council in the Royal Pavilion