Biosphere reserves are part of an international program implemented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization since 1970 for conservation of biological diversity and sustainable land management using a participatory approach. The main goal of this program is effectiveness of the participatory approach for sustainable resources management. Conservation of biological diversity, training, monitoring, information sharing, and experience exchanging at a global level are fundamental elements of this program.

Within the framework of this study, the biological diversity of the İğneada longos (flooded) forests and their environs has been put forth. First, major resource values have been classified according to ecological units, and evaluations for these ecological units in relation to the criteria for planning nature conservation areas have been completed. As a result of these evaluations, these units have been classified according to signs of rareness and diversity on international, national, and regional bases. At the end of the classification, the study area's biosphere-reserve potential has been presented. The study area has been separated into core, buffer, and transition zones, and suggestions for continuously sustainable land use for each zone have been provided.