UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme names laureates of Young Scientists and Michel Batisse award

The International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO has named the recipients of the 2016 Young Scientists Awards and the Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management, during its meeting in Lima, Peru. The meeting took place from 18 to 20 March.

The MAB Programme has been granting awards of up to $5,000 each since 1989 to encourage young researchers to undertake work on ecosystems, natural resources and biodiversity. This year it is recognizing:

Disaorn Aitthiariyasunthon (Thailand): Gender role in Ranong Biosphere Reserve management,

Ina Aneva (Bulgaria): Conservation and sustainable management of medicinal plants in biosphere reserves in Pirin and Slavyanka Mountains, southwestern Bulgaria,

Ajat Mohd Mokrish (Malaysia): Assessment of zoonotic disease awareness among primary and secondary schools students in Malaysia,

Fatimatou Sow (Guinea): Assessment of chemical and bacteriological pollution in the waters of the Haut Niger Biosphere Reserve,

Anna Yachmennikova (Russian Federation): Study of infectious diseases of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), one of key carnivore animals in tundra ecosystems at the territory of Kronotsky Biosphere Reserve,

Belarbi Zohir (Algeria): Compatibility between conservation and tourism at UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The US$6,000 Michel Batisse Award for a case study concerning the management of a biosphere reserve goes to Qu Shuguang (China), Director of the Wudalianchi Biosphere Reserve, for his study on the Wudalianchi ecomigration project to protect the environment and improve the population's means of subsistence.'

Biosphere reserves are areas that promote innovative solutions to issues of conservation, ecology and sustainable development recognized as such by UNESCO's MAB Programme. There are currently 669 MAB biosphere reserves in 120 countries.

Media contact: Agn's Bardon, UNESCO Media Section. Tel: 33 (0) 1 45 68 17 64, a.bardon(at)unesco.org