People for Living Waters: From Recognition to a Living UNESCO Water Network

Following ten years of preparation, the thematic network “People for Living Waters” was officially established during the International UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Conference 2025 in Hangzhou, China. At the EuroMaB 2026 Conference on Vancouver Island, Canada, a workshop brought participants together to align expectations, exchange good practices and develop concrete next steps for the network’s future. The Michael Succow Foundation contributed its international practical experience and supported partners from the Biosphere Reserves Institute, the French MAB Committee and German Biosphere Reserves.

The Michael Succow Foundation is supporting the UNESCO thematic network “People for Living Waters” in its transition from recognition and establishment towards an active and operational network. The aim is to strengthen connections between Biosphere Reserves working on inland waters, rivers, lakes and wetlands, and to further develop and adapt successful approaches to conservation and management to regional contexts. In this way, knowledge and experience can be translated into action more quickly.

The breakout session focused on the challenges and best practices of participating Biosphere Reserves. In several participatory working groups, participants identified expectations, clustered key topics and developed concrete next steps for the network based on the needs identified. The work of the Armenian partners was also presented.

The Michael Succow Foundation supports Armenia in establishing the country’s first Biosphere Reserve in Dilijan. As a future Biosphere Reserve, it can benefit from the wealth of knowledge and practical experience within the global Biosphere Reserve network, as well as from the members of the “People for Living Waters” network.

The results are now being taken forward as part of the network’s international continuation. This marks a consistent move from “Recognition to Action”: from exchanging experiences towards joint, practical activities for the network’s next phase.

Partners in the breakout session included the French MAB Committee, the Biosphere Reserves Institute and, as the German practitioner partner, the head of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea and Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve. Around 40 participants joined the workshop, representing Canada, France, Italy, the United States, Germany and Spain.

Alongside numerous workshops, excursions offered participants the opportunity to explore the region’s breathtaking landscapes, including ancient temperate rainforests along the Canadian Pacific coast with Douglas firs and western red cedars up to 800 years old. The excursions also provided opportunities for discussion and networking with representatives from Biosphere Reserves across the EuroMAB region.

Photos: J. Wunderlich / Michael Succow Foundation

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