The 10th South and Central Asian Biosphere Reserve Network Meeting (SACAM) with the theme ‘From Ridge to Reef’ was held in Chennai, India during 1st-3rd November, 2023. The meeting was aimed at contributing to peace and good relationships between participating member states as well as private sectors, keeping in mind to have a responsibility and a will, to make contributions to nature conservation, climate resilience, and people living in harmony with nature.

The 10th SACAM was also aimed to bring together Biosphere Reserve stakeholders from the global south and north, beyond South & Central Asia, so that experiences, challenges, ideas and best practices can be shared on a wide international scale, including with United Nations agencies.

There was also thematic group-work in the meeting, so that stakeholders with similar interests can jointly work to achieve expected thematic results; it was encouraged to share ideas, work together, and share achievements and challenges, and prepare for their participation at the forthcoming 5th World Congress on Biosphere Reserves in China, 2025. The event will allow foundations and the private sector to strengthen their social and environmental community support, and to form long-term partnerships. Partners discussed how best to improve their individual activities on the conservation, restoration, and scientific research and monitoring of ecosystems with the well-being of people in mind.

Professor Hiroyuki Matsuda also participated in the conference and gave a lecture entitled “From Minakami Water Source Forest to Tokyo Bay”, in which he explained that payment for the ecosystem services of water source forests is a theme of EBRoSS, in line with the theme of From Ridge to Reef. There was a lot of feedback, with several participants asking for presentation materials afterward.