Aree di transizione

Biodiversityv00.50 credits/per_km2

Responsible:Niccolò Calandri

Transition Areas

Overview

Transition areas are buffer zones situated between protected core areas and the unprotected wider landscape. They follow the UNESCO MAB (Man and the Biosphere) Biosphere Reserve model, which organizes protected landscapes into three concentric zones:

Zone	Function	Activities
Core Area	Strict nature protection	Research, monitoring, minimal human intervention
Buffer Zone	Ecological buffer around core	Education, ecotourism, sustainable practices
Transition Area	Sustainable development	Compatible agriculture, settlement, sustainable resource use

Transition areas serve as interface zones where human communities and natural ecosystems coexist. They enable compatible human activities (sustainable agriculture, eco-friendly tourism, environmental education) while protecting core conservation areas from external pressures such as urban expansion, intensive agriculture, and pollution.

The data is stored as vector geometries in the internal database (protected_areas table with source='transition_areas').

Calculation Methodology

Zone delineation approach:

Core area identification — Strictly protected areas (IUCN categories I–II, Natura 2000 core) form the inner zone
Buffer zone definition — Areas with moderate protection surrounding the core (IUCN III–IV, Natura 2000 buffer)
Transition area mapping — The outer zone is defined based on:
- Fixed-distance buffers around buffer zones
- Land use compatibility assessment
- Administrative boundary alignment
- Stakeholder consultation outcomes

Data Sources

Source	Provider	Type	Coverage
UNESCO MAB	UNESCO	Biosphere Reserve designations	Global
Internal analysis	Internal	Buffer computation	Site-specific
EEA	European Environment Agency	Natura 2000 boundaries	Europe

Technical Notes

Transition areas are conceptual zones; their boundaries may not align with formal legal designations
The UNESCO MAB model is the reference framework, but local implementations may vary
Transition area effectiveness depends on land use management policies and stakeholder cooperation
Urban-adjacent transition areas face the greatest pressure from development

References

UNESCO MAB Programme. "Biosphere Reserves: The Seville Strategy and the Statutory Framework". UNESCO, Paris.
Stoll-Kleemann, S., Welp, M. (2008). "Participatory and integrated management of biosphere reserves". GAIA, 17(S1), pp. 161–168.
Reed, M.G. (2016). "Conservation (In)Action: Renewing the relevance of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves". Conservation Letters, 9(6), pp. 448–456.

Data Sources & References

Sources

WRD_WDPAX_25

WRD_KBAXX_25

EUR_N2KXX_25

CAN_CPCAD_23

USA_PADXX_25

Methodology

Le transition areas (aree di transizione) vengono estratte dal database interno (tabella protected_areas con source='transition_areas'), basate sul modello zonale UNESCO MAB (Man and the Biosphere Programme) per le Riserve della Biosfera. Il modello UNESCO prevede tre zone concentriche: 1) Core area: area a massima protezione con attività umane minime; 2) Buffer zone: zona cuscinetto con attività limitate compatibili con la conservazione; 3) Transition area: zona di transizione dove sono permesse attività sostenibili. Le transition areas svolgono funzioni cruciali: proteggono le aree core da pressioni esterne, permettono una gestione flessibile delle attività umane compatibili, e creano un gradiente di naturalità dal centro alla periferia. L'estrazione e il calcolo delle metriche sono analoghi alle stepping zones. La visualizzazione utilizza una colormap Oranges/Reds.