India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district has earned a coveted spot in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR), becoming the country’s 13th listed site. Spanning 7,770 sq km across the stark Trans-Himalayan landscape, the reserve is among 26 new global additions, the largest annual inclusion in two decades.
Rising from 3,300 to 6,600 metres, the region embraces glacial valleys, alpine lakes, and some of the planet’s coldest, driest ecosystems. Home to rare flora such as willow-leaved sea-buckthorn and Himalayan birch, it shelters iconic wildlife including snow leopards, Himalayan ibex, blue sheep, and golden eagles. Around 12,000 residents continue age-old traditions of pastoralism, barley farming, and Tibetan herbal medicine, with Buddhist monastic councils guiding sustainable use of fragile alpine resources.
UNESCO hailed the designation as a step toward protecting biodiversity while supporting local livelihoods. The recognition is expected to boost eco-tourism and research, aligning with India’s broader conservation goals. Globally, the WNBR now encompasses 785 sites across 142 countries, safeguarding nearly five per cent of the planet.
This achievement underscores India’s commitment to preserving its high-altitude ecosystems, where climate change and tourism pose growing challenges.
