Surtsey Island, Iceland
Formed by volcanic eruptions in the 1960's, Surtsey was declared a natural reserve in 1965, allowing only a limited number of scientists to the island.
Pierre Vauthey / Corbis
Mount Sangingshan National Park, China
Located in eastern China's Jiangxi province, Sangingshan contains an array of forested and fantastically shaped granite pillars and peaks concentrated in a relatively small area.
John Wang / Getty
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere, Mexico
Every year, millions of monarch butterflies wait for the end of the winter season in close-packed clusters in the Oyamel fir forests.
Danny Lehman / Corbis
Sardona Tectonic Arena, Switzerland
An object of fascination for over 200 years, the region features a break in the Earth's crust, where older rocks rest above younger formations.
Pedro Rosabal / IUCN
Joggins Fossil Cliffs, Canada
The most complete known fossil record of terrestrial life, Joggins is over 300 million years old. The remains of the first reptiles are visible here.
Wesley Hill / IUCN
Saryarka, Kazakhstan
A largely undisturbed area of Central Asian steppe and lakes in the Korgalzhyn and Naurzum state nature reserves, Saryarka is a crucial stopover point for globally threatened species and provides feeding grounds for up to 15 million birds.
Chris Magin / IUCN
Socotra Archipelago, Yemen
Nicknamed the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, Socotra is host to nearly 700 flora and fauna species not found anywhere else in the world.
Khaled Fazaa / AFP / Getty
New Caledonia, France (Colony)
The tropical lagoons and coral reefs of New Caledonia form one of the three most extensive reef systems in the world. They provide habitat to a number of threatened fish and marine mammals.
Lionel Isy-schwart / Getty
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