State of the Biosphere: Reflecting on the Past Eight Years in the Beaver Hills

Living and working in harmony with nature requires more than good intentions; it involves thoughtful planning, consistent effort, and deliberate action to achieve goals and produce results.

In 2016, the deliberate and collaborative actions of local communities and numerous partner organizations was formalized when the Beaver Hills was designated a UNESCO Biosphere, marking both global recognition of and a shared commitment to the region's cultural, environmental, economic and social well-being.

Since then, significant progress has been made and the Biosphere community remains dedicated to continuing its efforts toward sustainable development, strengthening partnerships and addressing the challenges that lie ahead.

Almost 10 years later, and with UNESCO's 10-year review on the horizon, a new challenge presented itself – how can we concisely communicate nearly 10 year's worth of progress, while highlighting both the achievements and the work that still needs to be done? Erin Anderson, the Biosphere’s Conservation Planning Coordinator, embraced this challenge head-on and, after many months of dedication and hard work, brought the State of the Biosphere report to life. Here are some behind-the-scenes details about just how much goes into creating a report as extensive as the State of the Biosphere and what it signifies. 

Every 10 years, UNESCO designated biospheres have to undergo an extensive and comprehensive review to maintain their biosphere status. One key goal of State of the Biosphere was to inform this periodic review, which will be taking place in 2026.

"A lot of the information in the State of the Biosphere report is based on what will be asked for in UNESCO's 10-year periodic review," explains Erin.

After months of gathering and combing through data and reports, researching, attending meetings, and narrowing down information, Erin created a report that outlines the current data on the Biosphere, what has been accomplished and what needs to be addressed before the 2026 review.

"This effort offers a bird’s-eye view of the work that has been done and a perspective of how far we have come as an organization," adds Erin.

It also provides future direction on actions that should be implemented, identifies gaps to fill beforehand and allows for us to be proactive in 2025, rather than waiting to find out in the periodic review in 2026.

The Biosphere has seen significant progress in several key areas, some of which include its close collaboration and meaningful partnerships with local organizations and communities, successful restoration efforts focused on increasing natural plant species in both anthropogenic and semi-natural areas, and notable improvements in Indigenous relationships and programming, which was a key priority since the Biosphere's nomination in 2016. The Biosphere’s efforts to reconnect Indigenous communities with their traditional lands are showing strong results and have been well-received, marking a significant step forward in the Biosphere’s development.

Another one of the key goals in creating the State of the Biosphere was to make the report as engaging and accessible as possible, which is why it is presented as a story map. Unlike traditional reports, a story map also offers the flexibility to implement feedback and add new updates and data easily, while allowing readers to navigate directly to the sections they need or want to without feeling overwhelmed by too much text.

"The story map is an interactive way to interpret and showcase our map and other data while incorporating storytelling, text, images and graphics to paint a picture of what we are communicating," says Erin.

Although the Biosphere has made great strides over the past eight years, there is still considerable work ahead. Fortunately, the State of the Biosphere report has highlighted the gaps that remain and, with its clear insights, the Biosphere can now take the necessary steps to address these issues and make improvements sooner rather than later.

The State of the Biosphere is a showcase of what can be accomplished with community, dedication and perseverance. It also serves as inspiration for the progress that can and will be made in the next decade. With the Biosphere’s solid foundation and a strong network in place, the question is: where do we go from here, and what can we achieve next? Stay tuned.

Peruse the State of the Biosphere.

Learn, explore and get involved in the Biosphere's next 10 years.