UNESCO created the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, 50 years ago, to demonstrate a balanced and sustainable relationship between people and nature.
Some of the most significant biospheres are found in Central America, where visitors can explore unique landscapes and biological diversity.
The Central America Tourism Agency (CATA) has highlighted some of the most.The Trifinio Biosphere Reserve
The Trifinio Biosphere Reserve is located between Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras and covers an area of 221km².
It offers an exceptional array of flora and fauna such as striped owls, toucans, pumas and spider monkeys all living in the dense cloud forest of oak and laurel tress that make up the reserve.
The setting of the Trifinio Biosphere Reserve lead to the creation of the 'Ruta Trinacional de Turismo Sostenible' (Tri-national Sustainable Tourism Route).
The route features 184 natural and cultural tourist attractions that integrates sustainable tourist practices into local communities.
La Amistad International Park
La Amistad International Park was formed following the merge of the Costa Rican Cordillera de Talamanca mountain range with La Amistad Park in Panama.
The biosphere reserve is the largest in Central America covering a total of 401,000 hectares and is a major biodiversity resource at both regional and international level.
In 1983, the park was declared a UNESCO world heritage site on account of its remarkable geographic diversity, biodiversity, archaeological sites and the history following many millennia of occupation from local indigenous people.
www.costarica.org/national-parks/la-amistad
The Maya Biosphere Reserve
Located in Guatemala, the Maya Biosphere Reserve is a network of archaeological sites and natural reserves over 21,602km², making it the largest American tropical forest area north of the Amazon.
The area was awarded biosphere status in 1990 by UNESCO and is home to a large concentration of ancient Maya cities including Tikal.
Tikal alone attracts around 120,000 to 180,000 visitors per year which has been boosted by the recent introduction of an augmented reality campaign that can be found on the Guatemala Tourism Board's website.
The Belize Barrier Reef
The Belize Barrier Reef is a coral reef system forming part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef which is the second largest in the world behind the Great Barrier Reef.
The reef is Belize's top tourist destination bringing around 130,000 visitors a year.
Its most iconic feature is the Great Blue Hole, a giant marine sink hole made famous by marine conservation pioneer Jacques Cousteau.
The Belize Barrier Reef was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 due to its vulnerability and for its significant natural habitats that allow for in-situ conservation.
www.travelbelize.org/belize-reef
The Jaragua Bahoruco Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve
The Jaragua Bahoruco Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve encompasses three regions in the southwest of the Dominican Republic.
These contribute to a complex of habitats such as cloud forests, caves, coastal wetlands, mangrove forests, mud banks and lagoons.
Wildlife spotters will find over 100 species of birds throughout the reserve or may prefer to visit Cabritos Island to observe crocodiles and rhinoceros iguanas.
The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve
The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve is located in the La Mosquitia region on the Caribbean coast of Honduras.
The reserve has been a World Heritage Site since 1982 and in 2011 UNESCO placed the reserve on the List of World Heritage in Danger considering it contains a large number of endangered species.
An initiative promoting sustainable tourism was founded here called La Ruta Moskitia Ecotourism Alliance.
The scheme is a collection of six indigenous communities that provide ecotourism products and services within the biosphere reserve.
All the capital from the sale of the tourism products goes to the local communities which in turn has prevented over hunting, over fishing and over usage of the land within the reserve.
The Rio San Juan Biosphere Reserve
The Rio San Juan Biosphere Reserve is located in Nicaragua and spans seven protected areas that covers an important variety of ecosystems.
These are representative of tropical humid forests and wetlands, tidal marsh, coastal lagoons and estuaries which and important shelters for rare or endangered animals.
The reserve also contains the municipalities of El Almendro, San Miguelito, Morrito and Nueva Guinea as well as 20,000 habitants of Rama, Miskitum, Negra and Creole ethnic groups.
The biosphere is so large that it provides an adequate area for preserving genetic diversity, free mobility of species, breeding and maintenance of major species such as the jaguar or American tiger, the tapir and the red and green parrot.
www.riosanjuan.com.ni/en/portfolio-item/cantagallo-reserve-biosphere-and-mystery
Ometepe Island
Ometepe Island, in the middle of Lake Nicaragua was formed when two towering volcanoes, Concepcion and Maderas, causederupted millions of years ago.
The ecosystems on the island are wetlands, tropical and fog forests that offer a range of activities for visitors to the island.
Local guides offer hikes up the volcanoes for bird watching or even to discover the ancient petroglyphs left on the island that date back some 1,700 years.
The Central America Tourism Agency
The Central America Tourism Agency (CATA), represents Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.