Tuscan Islands Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2003, in Italy. The Tuscan Islands Biosphere Reserve is an archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea composed of seven main islands and a few isolated islets. It encompasses a wide range of geological, geomorphological and biological diversity representative of the Mediterranean region. The islands are covered by sclerophyllous evergreen forests, Mediterranean pine woods, maquis and scrub, and hardwood forests with deciduous oaks and chestnuts. The recent development of tourism has exerted strong pressure on the natural environment. As a result, certain terrestrial and marine areas, and some islands, now form part of a protected national park established to conserve rare and endemic species. People live permanently in the archipelago and depend mainly on services related to tourism, with relatively little employment in agriculture and fisheries. Projects are planned to introduce renewable energy resources and innovations in the agricultural sector, and to enhance the availability of water by means of alternative technologies. Current research focuses on geology and geomorphology, coral and fish distribution, monitoring of seawater quality and the restoration of populations of rare species.