Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve
Topic: Biodiversity and its Conservation · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 5 "Natural Vegetation"
Meaning
Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve was set up in 2000 in Sikkim, around Kanchenjunga, India's highest peak. A biosphere reserve has a protected core, a buffer zone and a transition zone where people live. The reserve is on UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Khangchendzonga National Park, at its heart, became a World Heritage Site in 2016. It is a mixed site, listed for both its nature and its cultural value.
Example
The Kanchenjunga massif in Sikkim stands at the centre of the reserve. Its peaks and forests are sacred to local people, which is why the site is listed for culture as well as nature.
Don't confuse with
- Natural World Heritage Site: sites like Kaziranga are listed for nature alone. Khangchendzonga is India's only mixed World Heritage Site.
Related concepts
- Biosphere reserve
- Man and Biosphere Programme
- Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
- Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve
- Nokrek Biosphere Reserve
- Manas Biosphere Reserve
- Sunderban Biosphere Reserve
- Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
- Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve
- Similipal Biosphere Reserve