Channel Islands Biosphere Region: Internal Communications Strategy

Established in 1976, the Channel Islands Biosphere Region (CIBR) is one of 784 sites worldwide recognized under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and connected domestically through the U.S. Biosphere Network (USBN). Spanning 8,479 square kilometers, CIBR encompasses a highly diverse mix of marine, coastal, and terrestrial environments, including the Channel Islands National Park, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, multiple state parks and MPAs, as well as urban and multi-use areas within Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, home to over 1.3 million people. The region supports commercial and recreational fishing, maritime commerce, and sustainable tourism, and has long been managed through partnerships among federal, state, and local agencies, NGOs, universities, and community organizations.

As CIBR approaches its 2027 UNESCO periodic review, a decennial process assessing the functioning, zoning, and community involvement of MAB sites, partners have formalized a Steering Committee for the first time. Establishing this governance structure requires not only organizational infrastructure but a clear communications and outreach foundation to build a shared identity and roadmap for engaging the broader CIBR community.

This project produces an Internal Communications Strategy to support the Steering Committee as it becomes operational. Deliverables include a branding standards guide with four logo directions informed by brand landscape analyses of all U.S. biosphere regions and CIBR member organizations, a phased communications and outreach roadmap, an updated fact sheet, draft social media content, website design recommendations, and a curated library of peer biosphere region communication resources, all compiled into a single working document the committee can adapt over time.