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The aim of Biosphere for Baltic is to facilitate learning and disseminate good practices from UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the Baltic Sea region, within and beyond the network of biosphere reserves. Also, to highlight the contribution of biosphere reserves to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.

Biosphere for Baltic is focusing on two themes: Source to Sea and Learning and Ocean Literacy. Both themes are of great importance to sustainable development in the Baltic Sea and for the implementation of SDG 14 – Life below water. The themes are also broad, in the sense that they cover many topics and can be interpreted widely.

Source to sea is highly relevant for the Baltic Sea, with its dynamic interface between land and ocean. Human activities upstream; on land and along rivers, affect the ecosystem downstream; in the coastal zone and the marine environment, with several associated environmental challenges, e.g. plastic pollution, water quality, eutrophication etc.

Ocean literacy is defined as “an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean” and learning is key to increased ocean literacy among people and in the society. Learning has also always been fundamental to the work in the biosphere reserves and is a part of their success stories. The biosphere reserves in the Baltic Sea region raise awareness and educate people on a daily basis – by connecting people to nature and by stimulating new knowledge development as well as education for sustainable development.

Projects

Supported by Nature – Interreg Baltic Sea Region (2024-2026)

BFB-COLAB (2022-2024) was a project funded by the Swedish Insititute. The project’s aim was to create conditions for a broader and more in-depth collaboration within the Biosphere for Baltic Network with particular emphasis on how to stimulate the collective wisdom of visitors and contribute to ocean literacy through visitor’s centers and awareness raising activities. BFB-COLAB also served the purpose to secure long-term collaboration in the biosphere for Baltic Network. (BFB-COLAB = Biosphere for Baltic – collaboration, ocean literacy & local engagement for a sustainable Baltic Sea.)

BFB-TOOLS (2019-2021) was funded by the Swedish Institute and involved nine biosphere reserves in seven countries around the Baltic Sea in a collaboration to mobilise knowledge, strategies and exchange best practices when promoting ocean literacy and raising awareness of these challenges.
The project resulted in a collaboration on sustainable tourism practices and how storytelling can be used to highlight and promote ocean literacy among tourists visiting
the biosphere reserves. In addition, local sustainable products that have a positive environmental impact and contribute to sustainable development have been mapped to be further explored.  (BFB-TOOLS = Biosphere for Baltic – Tourism for Ocean
Literacy and Sustainability.)

Background

In June 2017, during the UN Ocean Conference in New York, the Man and Biosphere Programme in Sweden, the Swedish National Commission of UNESCO, and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management pledged a joint commitment to facilitate learning and disseminate good practices from UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the Baltic Sea Region, within and beyond the network of biosphere reserves.
Biosphere for Baltic is a result of this commitment and the partnership connects biosphere reserves around the Baltic Sea. The network was initiated during 2018 with seed funding from the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, co-ordinated by Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve. Biosphere for Baltic provides a unique  opportunity for the participating biosphere reserves to network and share experiences, results and best practices.