International visitors pose for a photo with their handmade fans at the 5th World Biosphere Reserve Conference. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

The biosphere is the foundation of life on Earth, yet faces unprecedented pressure from rapid industrialization and urbanization.

It's a position widely acknowledged by preeminent experts in the field internationally, including top people in China.

"Strengthening biosphere protection is vital not only for global ecological security, but also for humanity's sustainable future," said Wang Ding, secretary-general of the Chinese National Committee for UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program.

He gave his thoughts in an interview during the 5th World Biosphere Reserve Conference in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.

China joined UNESCO's MAB program in 1973 and has since advanced its biosphere reserve development and ecosystem restoration. The country now has 34 UNESCO-designated biosphere reserves, the most in Asia and runs the world's biggest national biosphere network with 214 members.

The reserves serve as frontlines for biodiversity conservation, windows into China's ecological achievements and platforms for international cooperation.

Wang highlighted how reserves link ecological protection with community development — citing examples from Hangzhou's Tianmu Mountain and Yancheng city in East China's Jiangsu province.

"Protection and development are not contradictions," he noted. "They promote and support each other," he added.

Looking ahead, Wang stressed the importance of nurturing young professionals. "Youth people are the future of biosphere protection," he said.

"We must build a strong pipeline of talent capable of international dialogue and innovation," Wang added, pointing to Germany's dedicated biosphere research institute as a model worth learning from.

Despite challenges in attracting and retaining talent in remote reserves, Wang called for expanding opportunities in both fieldwork and academic research.

"Only by cultivating a new generation, can we inject lasting momentum into ecological protection and advance harmony between people and nature," he concluded.

Reeds growing at Hangzhou's Xixi Wetlands proclaim the arrival of autumn. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]