Jakarta (Indonesia Window) - With abundant natural wealth and diverse cultures, Indonesia's lands and waters have been providing a harmony between its people and its environment that have been sustainably conserving the biodiversity, it was learned here on Tuesday.

The harmony is very visible in Indonesia making the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognize 16 areas in the country as world biosphere reserves.

Two of the biosphere reserves, namely Togean Tojo Una-Una in Central Sulawesi and Samota (Saleh-Moyo-Tambora) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) were established at UNESCO’s 31^st International Co-ordinating Council Man and Biosphere  (ICC-MAB) in Paris, France on June 19, 2019.

The two areas are now included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, together with 701 biosphere reserves in 124 countries.

Fourteen other Indonesian biosphere reserves are Cibodas in West Java (established 1977); Lore Lindu in Central Sulawesi (1977); Komodo in East Nusa Tenggara (1977); Tanjung Puting in Central Kalimantan; Siberut in West Sumatra (1981); Leuser in Aceh (1981); Giam Siak Kecil Bukit Batu in Riau (2009); Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi (2012); Taka Bonerate Selayar Islands in South Sulawesi (2015); Bromo Tengger Semeru Arjuno in East Java (2015); Mining in East Java (2016); Berbak Sembilang in South Sumatra (2018); Rinjani Lombok in Nusa Southeast West (2018) and Betung Kerihun Danau Sentarum Kapuas Hulu in West Kalimantan (established in 2018).

The entire biosphere reserves represent almost all types of ecosystems, including endemic flora and fauna, as well as geological phenomena in Indonesia, such as volcanoes, underwater parks and transitional areas between terrestrial and marine environments.

Reporting by Indonesia Window