NEF Provides Funding to the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Network to Assist in Completion of the Periodic Review of the Biosphere Required by UNESCO

UNESCO requires that the Biosphere designation for the Niagara Escarpment, as for all other Biospheres around the world, be reviewed every 10 years, the last review having been completed in 2014. Two key UNESCO recommendations flowing from the 2014 review were that the central convenor of the Biosphere transition away from a government agency (the Niagara Escarpment Commission) to a community-based organization; and that there be more Indigenous community involvement in the leadership/governance of the Biosphere than had been the case until then. NEF was key in 2019 in the transitioning of the convenor function (see Biosphere Project tab). The new non-profit organization called the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Network (NEBN) has strong Indigenous representation on its Board of Directors, including key involvement by an Indigenous organization called Plenty Canada. NEF has just provided to NEBN some of the funding needed for the periodic review, which is well underway and will be completed over the coming months, into 2024.