Title: Canadian biosphere reserve approaches to the achievement of sustainable development

Authors: Glen Jamieson, George Francis, Graham Whitelaw, Norm Ruttan

Addresses: Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve, P.O. Box 217, Parksville, BC V9P 2G4, Canada. ' Department of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada. ' School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada. ' Thousand Islands – Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve, The Watershed, 19 Reynolds Road, Lansdowne, Ontario K0E 1L0, Canada

Abstract: The nature and sophistication of programmes on sustainable development, which have been completed or are currently underway by Canadian biosphere reserves, is largely dependent on the funding available, the year the individual biosphere reserves were established and whether or not they have a national park as the core area to provide infrastructure and some funding. Here, we describe the initiatives being undertaken by the above three groupings of Canadian biosphere reserves and show that while much variability in capacity exists across biosphere reserves, the biosphere reserve concept with respect to the achievement of sustainable development has been widely embraced by all communities in Canada associated with biosphere reserves. There is a wide diversity of initiatives, and Canadian efforts to develop biosphere reserve models of sustainable development at the community level are showing successes, largely because of great imagination and volunteer dedication.

Keywords: Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association; CBRA; sustainable development; sustainability; approaches; achievements; Canada; biosphere reserves; community level.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2008.018359

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2008 Vol.7 No.2, pp.132 - 144

Published online: 18 May 2008 *

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