Paris, 30 July—The International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme has named the recipients of the 2018 Young Scientists Awards. The selection was announced during the MAB Council’s annual meeting in Palembang, Indonesia, (23 to 28 July).

The MAB Programme has been granting awards of up to $5,000 each since 1989 to encourage young researchers to undertake work on ecosystems, natural resources and biodiversity.

The seven laureates of 2018 of the MAB Young Scientists Awards are:

• Esteban Brenes Mora (Costa Rica):
  Understanding population ecology and potential habitat of the endangered Baird's Tapir in Savegre and La Amistad MAB Biosphere Reserve in Costa Rica
• Ryu Kum Hyok (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea):
  Assessment of the service function of the forest ecosystem at Mt. Myohyang Biosphere Reserve and ways to enhance it
• Chung Song Ri (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea):
  Fundamental study on the assessment of functions of Mundok Migratory Birds Reserve and preparation for its nomination as a coastal biosphere reserve
• Somaya Ghoraba (Egypt):
  Using remote sensing to assess the environmental degradation of Burullus Wetland, a potential biosphere reserve
• Abena Dufie Wiredu Bremang (Ghana):
  The effect of land use and land cover change on water quality: a case study of the lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve
• Angelina Sharaponova (Russian Federation):
  Management of restored landscapes: Assessment of the restoration of degraded wetlands in the Volga-Akhtuba Floodplain Biosphere Reserve, using of biological indicators
• Thuy Linh Nguyen (Viet Nam):
  Mitigation of human-elephant conflict in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve to support elephant conservation and the local community’s sustainable livelihood

Biosphere reserves are sites destined to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity and human activity through the sustainable use of natural resources. One of their objective is to give rise to innovative sustainable development practices.

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