Inle Lake on UNESCO list

INLE LAKE Inle Lake has been selected as one of 20 new sites added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO.
It is the first site in Myanmar to gain recognition.
Myanmar Times said the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) made the decision in Paris last week.
Man and the Biosphere is an inter-governmental scientific programme that was established by UNESCO in the 1970s to improve the interaction between people and natural environment.
inside no 1Biosphere reserves are supposed to be places for learning about sustainable development and how to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with the sustainable use of natural resources. New reserves are designated each year.
There are now 651 sites in 120 countries, of which Inle Lake is the first to be designated in Myanmar.
UNESCO said the Inle Lake biosphere reserve covered 489,721 hectares. The wetland ecosystem of the freshwater lake is home to 267 species of birds – of which 82 are wetland birds – 43 species of freshwater fishes, otters and turtles. Diverse flora and fauna species are recorded and the lake is reported to be the nesting place for the globally endangered Sarus crane (Grus antigone).
In addition to its ecological importance, Inle Lake is example of how local inhabitants adapted their lifestyle to their environment. Farmers from one of the dominant ethnic groups in the region, the Intha, practice floating island agriculture, locally called Ye Chan.
Inle Lake was already listed as an ASEAN heritage site, for its significant national culture, as well as varieties of ecosystems.
Inle Lake is a freshwater lake located in the Nyaungshwe Townshipof Taunggyi District of Shan State, part of Shan Hills in Myanmar.
The best time of the year to visit is during September and October. The nearest airport is Heho Airport, which is 35 km away. There are flights from both Yangon and Mandalay. Yangon is 660 km away by road and Mandalay 330 km.

sourced:ttrweekly.com