Nature reserves, geoparks and biosphere reserves
Ospreys on the cliffs of a collapsed volcano, seen only from the sea, and sandstone pillars rising from the forests of China: reserves and protected areas worth the trip.
- 0 protected areas
Nature reserves, geoparks and biosphere reserves: three labels, three kinds of visit
This page lists the nature reserves, UNESCO Global Geoparks, biosphere reserves and other protected areas with a page on the site: 0 today, in 0 countries, from a Corsican reserve seen from a boat to the sandstone pillars of Wulingyuan. Many national parks carry a biosphere or geopark label too; they stay listed under parks and are named below.
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The text explains what each label changes for a visitor: a reserve can close its land to walkers, a geopark adds no rule of its own, a biosphere reserve protects a core and leaves people in its outer zones. Figures and rules follow the grid, read at the managing body and dated.
No place published yet.
Nature reserves: the strictest label, with the rules to read first
A nature reserve is a legal tool that protects habitats and their species over the long term; France alone counts 372 of them. In the IUCN categories, a strict nature reserve (category Ia) limits human visits and uses to protect its conservation values, and the Swiss National Park is run under that category. What it changes for you: access can be closed to walkers, boats or divers, and the page shows a table of what is allowed.
UNESCO Global Geoparks: geology first, no extra rule
A UNESCO Global Geopark is a single, unified geographical area where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed as a whole: 241 of them across 51 nations, revalidated every four years. The label adds no rule of its own; it tells you the rocks are the point of the visit.
| Geopark site | Country | Label | What the rocks show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luberon | France | Since 2004 | 28 fossil sites in a geological nature reserve, ochre cliffs |
| Ordesa y Monte Perdido | Spain | Since 2006 | Monte Perdido, 10,984 ft, atop western Europe’s largest limestone massif |
Biosphere reserves: a protected core, a buffer and people
A biosphere reserve is a site designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme: 797 sites across 145 nations, the first designated in 1976. Each has a core under strict protection, a buffer zone for research and education, and a transition area where people live and work. Several parks on the site carry the label on top of their own status.
- Triglav: inside the Julian Alps biosphere reserve, recognised in 2003.
- The Swiss National Park has held the label since 2017, the Luberon since 1997, and Scandola lies within the Fango and Deux Sevi biosphere reserve.
Other protected areas: forest parks and the pages to come
Some statuses fit none of the three labels. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is China’s first national forest park, created in 1982 at the heart of Wulingyuan: a ticket of 165 CNY valid four consecutive days, eco-buses, and the Bailong Elevator, 1,070 ft, described as the world’s tallest outdoor lift. As coverage grows towards every protected area on the planet, each new reserve, geopark and biosphere reserve joins this page when its own page is published; national and regional parks stay under parks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a nature reserve and a national park?
A nature reserve is a legal tool that protects habitats and species over the long term, and its rules can be strict: at Scandola, hiking, diving and fishing are banned and the reserve is seen from a boat. A national park, IUCN category II in most cases, is a large natural area that welcomes visitors under rules set by a park authority. A park often contains reserves, such as the Hauts-Plateaux in the Vercors or the Lauvitel in the Écrins.
Can you visit a nature reserve?
Usually yes, under rules read on the reserve’s own site. Gullfoss, a reserve since 1979, is free and open round the clock with rangers all year. Scandola is visited by boat, with day trips from Porto, Sagone or Cargèse, and no landing for hiking. Each page shows what is allowed, with its source and the date it was checked.
What is a UNESCO Global Geopark?
A single, unified geographical area where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed as a whole, with a holistic approach to protection, education and sustainable development. UNESCO counts 241 of them across 51 nations, revalidated every four years. The label adds no rule for visitors; the Luberon, Ordesa y Monte Perdido, the Cliffs of Moher and Meteora carry it.
Does a biosphere reserve label change the rules of a park?
No. A biosphere reserve is a site designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme, with a strictly protected core, a buffer zone and a transition area where people live. The rules you follow come from the national status: in Torres del Paine, a biosphere reserve since 1978, they are set by CONAF, the Chilean forestry corporation.
How do you visit the Scandola reserve?
By boat. Day trips leave from Porto (Ota), Sagone and Cargèse, and an excursion is also described from Ajaccio. Hiking, climbing, camping and fires are forbidden on land, scuba diving and spearfishing are banned, and anchoring is forbidden at night everywhere in the reserve.