A biosphere reserve is a site designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a "learning place for sustainable development." These reserves are intended to be sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity. They are learning areas for sustainable development under diverse ecological, social, and economic contexts, touching the lives of more than 250 million people. There are currently 738 biosphere reserves in 134 countries, including 22 transboundary sites, that belong to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves
. Biosphere reserves represent the world's major ecosystems and provide study ecosystems for the United Nations Man and the Biosphere Programme. The program employs science to harmonize relationships between people and their environments, with the goal of improving human livelihoods while safeguarding natural ecosystems. Biosphere reserves encourage research into biodiversity loss, climate change, environmental monitoring, and sustainable development
