Sustainable development and the Sonoran Desert biospheres

Abstract

The international border region of the Sonoran Desert is unique in that it is the site of three Man and the Biosphere Reserves in two countries. Unlike national parks and other means of conservation, biosphere reserves provide a unique approach to resource protection by encouraging the sustainable development of outlying communities. The concept of sustainable development is examined as are its implications for regional planning. The international border region adjacent to the biosphere reserves is profiled and planning issues outlined. The efforts of others to incorporate sustainable development are reviewed as are the experiences of those who have applied their efforts to the region in question. A methodology for the protection of the natural attributes of the region is proposed.