Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management
How to apply
The Michel Batisse Award only acknowledges completed work accomplished within a Biosphere Reserve in the World Network. Case studies that concern future work will not be considered.
Call for application
The next edition of the prize will be in 2025 - there are no open calls for application
News
Laureates
2023
Jagdish Bakan (India)
Mr Jagdish Bakan received the Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management for introducing ‘green’ jobs and microcredit to stimulate community-led efforts to conserve biodiversity in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve in India.
2021
Sharon Wright (Australia)
The 2021 Michel Batisse Award goes to Sharon Wright (Australia) for her work in the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. The project “Keeping it in Kin Kin – Community efforts to manage riparian ecosystems and waterways” demonstrates how integrated and collaborative approaches can achieve healthy land, soil and water management and biodiversity conservation, while providing the foundation for sustainable livelihoods and communities.
2019
José Santiso (Spain)
The 2019 Michel Batisse Award was given to José Santiso (Spain), head of the Mariñas Coruñesas e Terras do Mandeo UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for his project promoting local, organically grown food produce. This project has helped preserve local varieties and linked producers and consumers, including school canteens.
2017
Vladimira Fabriciusova (Slovakia)
The 2017 Michel Batisse Award was given to Vladimira Fabriciusova (Slovakia), coordinator of the Polana Biosphere Reserve for her case study “Biosphere Reserve: an opportunity for humans and nature.”
2016
Qu Shuguang (China)
The 2016 Michel Batisse Award for a case study concerning the management of a biosphere reserve goes to Qu Shuguang (China), Director of the Wudalianchi Biosphere Reserve, for his study on the Wudalianchi ecomigration project to protect the environment and improve the population’s means of subsistence.
2015
Bandi Namkhai (Mongolia)
The 2015 Michel Batisse Award for a case study concerning the management of a biosphere reserve was attributed to Bandi Namkhai, Director of the Khustain Nuruu Biosphere Reserve in Mongolia, for his study of Khustain Nuruu.
2014
Ana Luisa R. Figueroa (Mexico)
The 2014 Michel Batisse Award was attributed to Ana Luisa R. Figueroa (Mexico), for her case study on "A group of fishermen and fishing families who became guardians of the San Pedro Martir Island, part of the Islas del Golfo de California Biosphere Reserve".
2013
Marisa Coetzee and Harry Biggs (South Africa)
The Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management was attributed to Marisa Coetzee and Harry Biggs (South Africa) for their case study concerning the South African Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve.
2012
Elizabeth Ines Taylor Jay (Colombia)
The Batisse Award was granted to Elizabeth Ines Taylor Jay (Colombia) for her case study on “Improving sustainable development and coral reef conservation through community-based watershed management in the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve.”
2010
Fabio Kalesnik (Argentina)
The Michel Batisse award goes to Fabio Kalesnik (Argentina) for “Training on environmental education, conservation and sustainable development and its innovatory initiatives with islanders in the Delta del Paraná Biosphere reserve.”
Contact
MAB Secretariat
Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences
UNESCO
7, Place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris SP 07, France
E-mail: mab.awards@unesco.org