Dumfries and Galloway councillors fear loss of biosphere status would be a "travesty"
22.03.2023 - 11:53
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Councillors believe it would be “a travesty” if Galloway lost its biosphere status.
The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere was established in 2012 – the first area in Scotland to receive such a designation.
To keep that status, it is required to submit a periodic review every 10 years to UNESCO’s International Co-ordinating Council, with a decision due in the summer.
And Councillor Katie Hagmann, who previously sat on the biosphere’s partnership board, told the economy and resources committee on Tuesday: “We will keep our fingers crossed for the UNESCO designation.
“If we don’t get it, I think it will be a travesty and real loss to the region.”
An existing “service level agreement” between the council and the biosphere team was due to come to an end this month, but committee members agreed for it to be extended for another five years.
A report for Tuesday’s meeting highlighted some of the recent achievements of the biosphere team, including creating a learning for sustainability toolkit for primary schools and connecting with communities in Gatehouse and Creetown through guided walks and events looking at their links with a nearby national nature reserve.
The new service level agreement will cover three key areas – sustainable communities, biosphere towns and cross-border working involving the three local authorities covered by the biosphere, which are Dumfries and Galloway and East and South Ayrshire.
The two Ayrshire councils will each be asked for £25,000 for each of the next five years, with Dumfries and Galloway asked for £30,000.
Councillor Sean Marshall questioned why Dumfries and Galloway was being asked to put in more funding.
Environment manager, Simon Fieldhouse, said: “It is just due