India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in HP has been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The announcement was made at the 37th session of UNESCO’s International Coordinating Council — Man and the Biosphere.

The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, perched high in the trans-Himalayan region of northern India, spans about 7,770 sq km across the dramatic landscapes of HP’s Lahaul and 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 network.

“As India’s first high-altitude cold desert biosphere reserve, it highlights the urgent need to safeguard mountain ecosystems facing tourism pressures and climate change. Current initiatives include snow leopard conservat

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