The UNESCO biosphere reserve protected zones customarily used around the world were also set up for the Oberlausitzer Heide- und Teichlandschaft biosphere reserve. The zones were arranged in such a way that the individual areas can be cultivated or preserved in accordance with their natural features. The following system was used:
<td height:="" style="width: 144px ; bgcolor=" #dbe0bc"=""><p>REGENERATION ZONE</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 20px;"><p>DEVELOPMENT ZONE</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 20px;"><p>PRESERVATION ZONE<br> (nature reserve)</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 20px;"><p>CORE ZONE<br> (nature reserve)</p></td></tr><tr><td style="width: 144px; height: 29px;"><p>(Zone IV)<br> Area: 2,014 ha</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 29px;"><p>(Zone III)<br> Area: 14,949 ha</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 29px;"><p>(Zone II)<br> Area: 12,015 ha</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 29px;"><p>(Zone I)<br> Area: 1,124 ha</p></td></tr><tr><td style="width: 144px; height: 56px;"><p>Heavily restricted areas, e.g. former brown coal opencast mines</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 56px;"><p>Main area for living and economic activity, e.g. settlements</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 56px;"><p>Areas with environmentally friendly applications, e.g. fish farming</p></td><td style="width: 144px; height: 56px;"><p>Total reserve, no human influence – access is prohibited</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.xn--biosphrenreservat-oberlausitz-5pc.de/sites/default/files/... data-cke-saved-href="http://www.xn--biosphrenreservat-oberlausitz-5pc.de/sites/default/files/... rel="gallery-all" title="Zoning"><img alt="Zoneing" src="http://www.xn--biosphrenreservat-oberlausitz-5pc.de/sites/default/files/... data-cke-saved-src="http://www.xn--biosphrenreservat-oberlausitz-5pc.de/sites/default/files/... title="Zoning" typeof="foaf:Image"></a></p>