Welcome to the

ISLE OF WIGHT

UNESCO

BIOSPHERE RESERVE

Discover the Island's special landscapes, communities and wildlife.

What is the
Biosphere?

The Isle of Wight was awarded Biosphere Reserve status by UNESCO in 2019, only the seventh place in the UK to achieve this. It is a recognition of the unique combination of nature, people and places we have here, where communities and the environment work together in an increasingly sustainable way.

It covers all our 33 parishes on land, and stretches north across the Solent to the shores of the mainland and south into the Channel.

A diagram showing the three elements of the Biosphere in overlapping circles; Nature, People, Places

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BIOSPHERE
PRINCIPLES

1. Value Our Island Heritage

2. Protect and Sustain Nature

3. Restore Island Ecosystems

4. Share Biosphere Knowledge

5. Celebrate Local Distinctiveness

6. Build a Liveable Island

7. Embrace a New Economy

8. Take Climate Action

9. Safeguard Future Generations

A big group of children and adults with nets for pond dipping
A family group on a walk across the downs, looking down towards Sandown Bay

Protecting our Biosphere Status and realising its full potential requires cooperation: everyone who lives, works and visits here is part of the Biosphere and we are all interconnected. All of us can have a positive (or negative) impact on it and that is true whether we are in the centre of town, out in the countryside, or even on the seas.

The Biosphere Steering Committee, formed in 2023, has drawn up nine principles to help organisations and individuals increase their "biosphere thinking". They can be used to inspire, to inform strategies and policies, to spread the word. Where do they resonate for you? How can you bring this into your life and work?

A grid with loads of small thumbnail images for the Biosphere Festival eventsf
A map of the island with markers showing where all the festival events were

The IW Biosphere Festival will return in June 2025!

Get in touch if you would like to be involved.

Celebrating our Biosphere with a weekend of events for everyone, all across the island!

Promo for Biosphere Festival. On yellow background with organic purple shapes it says Isle of Wight Biosphere Festival 29 & 30 June 2024 www.iwbiosphere.org celebrating our Biosphere with a weekend of events for everyone, all across the island

EXPLORE THE
BIOSPHERE

Read stories of people and communities around the island who are working to conserve or restore our natural landscapes and wildlife or who are inspired by the Biosphere in their creative practice.

A paleontologist examining green seaweed covered rocks on the beach at Hanover Point
Charcoal maker at work, adding wood into the fire
Two cider makers hold up apples that have been collected in a bucket
A group of childern and their mothers and forest school leaders smile at the camera

Search our interactive map for a selection of places of interest across the Biosphere Reserve region.

A screenshot of the interactive map showing each parish in a different colour and various points of interest around the Isle of Wight

Share Biosphere adventures and nature photos on social media with #iwbiosphere