Himachal’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve joins UNESCO’s global biosphere network

India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, Himachal Pradesh, has been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

It was announced at the 37th Session of the UNESCO’s International Coordinating Council — Man and the Biosphere.

Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, perched high in the trans-Himalayan region of northern India, spans approximately 7,770 square km across the dramatic landscapes of Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district.

Encompassing windswept plateaus, glacial valleys, alpine lakes and rugged high altitude deserts, it is one of the coldest and driest ecosystems in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

“As India’s first high-altitude cold desert biosphere reserve, it highlights the urgent need to safeguard mountain ecosystems facing tourism pressures and climate cha