A Transboundary Protected Area (TBPA) is a protected area

Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...

 that spans boundaries of more than one country

Country

A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...

 or sub-national entity, where the political border

Border

Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...

 sections that are enclosed within its area are abolished. This includes removal of all human-made physical boundaries, such as fences, allowing free migration of animals and humans within the area. A boundary around the area may however be maintained to prevent unauthorised border crossing. Such areas are also known by terms such as transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) or peace parks. The Global Transbounday Protected Areas Network cites five different types of TBPAs as follows:

• Two or more contiguous protected areas across a national boundary
• A cluster of protected areas and the intervening land
• A cluster of separated protected areas without intervening land
• A trans-border area including proposed protected areas
• A protected area in one country aided by sympathetic land use over the border

The preservation of traditional animal migration patterns, ensuring sufficient food and water sources for population growth, are the primary reason for the creation of peace parks. Peace parks however also encourage tourism

Tourism

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...

, economic development and goodwill between neighbouring countries, as well as facilitating travel of indigenous

Indigenous peoples

Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....

 inhabitants of the area.

Established 'Peace Parks'

On 1 February 1997, Dr Anton Rupert, together with HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and Dr Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...

 founded Peace Parks Foundation as a not-for-profit organisation to facilitate the establishment of transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs), also called peace parks.

Americas

• The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
  Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
  The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is the name of the union of the Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and the Glacier National Park in the United States...
  
   across the United States
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
  /Canada
  Canada
  Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
  
   border was the first Peace Park in the Americas, formed by the merger of the Waterton Lakes
  Waterton Lakes National Park
  Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton was Canada's fourth national park, formed in 1895 and named after Waterton Lake, in turn after the Victorian naturalist and conservationist...
  
   and Glacier National Parks in 1932. In contrast to other peace parks, the primary purpose of the union was to serve as a symbol of friendship and peace between the two countries.
• The International Peace Garden
  International Peace Garden
  The International Peace Garden is a 3.65 sq. mi. park located on the international border between Canada and the United States, in the state of North Dakota and the province of Manitoba. Established on July 14, 1932, the park plants over 150,000 flowers each year...
  
   was also established in 1932, another United States/Canada park with a similar purpose. It lies on the North Dakota
  North Dakota
  North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
  
  /Manitoba
  Manitoba
  Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
  
   border.
• Another United States/Canada peace park, Peace Arch Park
  Peace Arch Park
  Peace Arch Park is a park straddling the International Boundary between the United States and Canada at the extreme western end of the main contiguous section of the two countries' land border, where it reaches Semiahmoo Bay of Puget Sound on the continent's Pacific Coast...
  
  , lies on the British Columbia
  British Columbia
  British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
  
  /Washington border, and is famous for the Peace Arch
  Peace Arch
  The Peace Arch is a monument situated on the Canada – United States border between the communities of Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia. The Peace Arch, which stands...
  
  , a large peace structure straddling the border itself.
• Efforts are under way for a U.S./Mexico
  Mexico
  The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
  
   international park with a similar purpose, joining the Big Bend National Park
  Big Bend National Park
  Big Bend National Park is a national park located in the U.S. state of Texas. Big Bend has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States, which includes more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56...
  
   in the United States with the Maderas del Carmen
  Maderas del Carmen
  Maderas del Carmen is a biosphere reserve in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila.Maderas del Carmen encompasses the Sierra del Carmen, a segment of the Sierra Madre Oriental range...
  
   and Cañon de Santa Elena protected areas in Mexico, as well as a USA/Russia
  Russia
  Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
  
   international park in the Bering Strait
  Bering Strait
  The Bering Strait , known to natives as Imakpik, is a sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, the easternmost point of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, USA, the westernmost point of the North American continent, with latitude of about 65°40'N,...
  
  , highlighting the shared heritage of Russians and Americans of the area.
• Acting under the recommendation of UNESCO
  UNESCO
  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
  
  , the governments of Costa Rica
  Costa Rica
  Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
  
   and Panama
  Panama
  Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
  
   declared Parque Internacional La Amistad
  La Amistad International Park
  The La Amistad International Park, or in Spanish , formerly the La Amistad National Park, is an Transboundary Protected Area in Latin America, management of which is shared between Costa Rica and Panama, following a recommendation by UNESCO after the park's inclusion in the World Heritage Site...
  
   an international park in 1988.
• Interstate Park
  Interstate Park
  Interstate Park comprises two adjacent state parks on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, both named Interstate State Park. They straddle the Dalles of the St. Croix River, a deep basalt gorge with glacial potholes and other rock formations. The Wisconsin park is and the Minnesota park is . The...
  
   (Minnesota-Wisconsin)
• Palisades Interstate Park (New York-New Jersey)
• Breaks Interstate Park
  Breaks Interstate Park
  Breaks Interstate Park, also referred as the "Grand Canyon of the South", is located in southeastern Kentucky and southwestern Virginia at the northeastern terminus of Pine Mountain...
  
   (Kentucky-Virginia)
• Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
  Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
  Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park is an interprovincial park straddling the southern Alberta-Saskatchewan border, located southeast of Medicine Hat...
  
   (Alberta-Saskatchewan)
• Kakwa-Willmore Interprovincial Park (Alberta-British Columbia)
• Manitoba-Ontario Interprovincial Wilderness Area
• Parc linéaire interprovincial Petit Témis (Quebec-New Brunswick)

Europe

• The first Transboundary Protected Area was established by the Swedish and the Norwegian Peace Movements in 1914, to celebrate 100 years of peace between Sweden and Norway. In 1959 the area was named Morokulien
  Morokulien
  Morokulien is a six-hectare area on the border between Sweden and Norway. The name Morokulien was coined in the radio program "Över alla gränser" sent from Morokulien in 1959 and has since stuck...
  
  .
• The European Green Belt running along the former Iron Curtain is considered a Peace Park.
• A Peace Park has been established in the Red Sea between Israel and Jordan.
• A project for the Green Line Peace Park in Cyprus, between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot Territories, is being researched by Dr. Anna Grichting, Harvard University.
• Interprovincial Park of Montoni (Livorno-Grosseto)

Asia

• The demilitarized zone
  Demilitarized zone
  In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
  
   between North
  North Korea
  The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
  
   and South Korea
  South Korea
  The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
  
   and the Siachen glacier region between India and Pakistan have been proposed as peace parks. Professor Saleem Ali
  Saleem Ali
  Dr. Prof. Saleem H. Ali is a Pakistani American scholar who is Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont's Rubenstein School of Natural Resources, and the director of the Institute for Environmental Diplomacy and Security...
  
  , from the University of Vermont, is involved in research into this.

Areas in the conceptual phase

• Liuwa Plain - Kameia TFCA (Angola/Zambia)
• Lower Zambezi - Mana Pools TFCA (Zambia/Zimbabwe)
• Niassa Reserve
  Niassa Reserve
  Niassa Reserve is a nature reserve in Cabo Delgado Province and Niassa Province, Mozambique. Covering over , it is the largest protected area in the country. The reserve is part of the Trans-Frontier Conservation Area and links to the Tanzanian Lukwika-Lumesule Game Reserve...
  
   - Selous
  Selous Game Reserve
  The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest faunal reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania. It was named after Englishman Sir Frederick Selous, a famous big game hunter and early conservationist, who died at Beho Beho in this territory in 1917 while fighting against the Germans...
  
   TFCA (Mozambique/Tanzania)
• Mnazi Bay - Quirimbas Transfrontier Marine Conservation Area (Mozambique / Tanzania)
• The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. It links national park
  National park
  A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
  
  s in South Africa
  South Africa
  The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
  
  , Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
  
   and Mozambique
  Mozambique
  Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
  
   and covers an area of 35,000 km², including the famous Kruger National Park
  Kruger National Park
  Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...
  
  .

Areas with treaty signed

• Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
  Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
  Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a large wildlife preserve and conservation area in southern Africa. The park straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and comprises two adjoining national parks: Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and Gemsbok National Park in Botswana. The...
  
   (Botswana/South Africa), Openenen: 12 May 2000.
• Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
  Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
  The ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a peace park straddling the border between South Africa and Namibia. It was formed in 2003 by combining the Namibian ǀAi-ǀAis Hot Springs Game Park and the South African Richtersveld National Park....
  
   (Namibia/South Africa) (see also Nama people: Namaqua
  Namaqua
  Nama are an African ethnic group of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. They traditionally speak the Nama language of the Khoe-Kwadi language family, although many Nama now speak Afrikaans. The Nama are the largest group of the Khoikhoi people, most of whom have largely disappeared as a group,...
  
   and Ai-Ais Hot Springs
  Ai-Ais Hot Springs
  Ai-Ais Hot Springs meaning 'burning water' in the local Nama language, refers to the sulphurous thermal hot water springs found in the area. Pronounced "eye-ice", the natural hot-spring oasis is situated at the base of the mountain peaks at the southern end of Fish River Canyon, in the Karas Region...
  
  ), Signed on the: 17 August 2001.
• Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
  Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
  Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a 35,000 km² peace park that is in the process of being formed. It will link the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou National Park, Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe, as well as the...
  
  , signed on the: 10 November 2000.

Memorandum of agreements signed

• Limpopo-Shashe TFCA (Botswana/South Africa/Zimbabwe), originally signed on the: 22 June 2006. Now renamed, see: Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area
  Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area
  Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area Is a cultural TFCA. Formerly known as the Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area.-See also:*Mapungubwe National Park*The Mapungubwe World Heritage Site...
  
  .
• Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area
  Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area
  The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area was born out of the Peace Park Foundation’s vision to establish a network of transfrontier conservation areas in southern Africa...
  
   (Mozambique/South Africa/Swaziland)
• Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area
  Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area
  Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area was established on 11 June 2001 by linking the Sehlabathebe National Park in the Kingdom of Lesotho and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The total park will be: 16.226 Km² large. This 300 km long Peace park covers...
  
   (Lesotho/South Africa), signed on the: 11 June 2001.
• Iona - Skeleton Coast Transfrontier Conservation Area (Angola
  Angola
  Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
  
   and Namibia
  Namibia
  Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
  
  ), signed on the: 1 August 2003.
• Kavango - Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area or KAZA (Angola
  Angola
  Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
  
  , Botswana
  Botswana
  Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
  
  , Namibia
  Namibia
  Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
  
  , Zambia
  Zambia
  Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
  
   and Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
  
  ), was signed on the: 7 December 2006. (This will be the largest park covering areas in 5 different countries.).
• Malawi - Zambia TFCA (Malawi/Zambia), signed on the: 13 August 2004.
• Chimanimani TFCA (Mozambique / Zimbabwe)

See also

• Biodiversity
  Biodiversity
  Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
  
  
• Bioregion
• Conservation biology
  Conservation biology
  Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
  
  
• Conservation ethic
  Conservation ethic
  Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to...
  
  
• Conservation movement
  Conservation movement
  The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
  
  
• Ecology
  Ecology
  Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
  
  
• Ecosystem
  Ecosystem
  An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
  
  
• Ecotourism
  Ecotourism
  Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
  
  
• Habitat conservation
  Habitat conservation
  Habitat conservation is a land management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore, habitat areas for wild plants and animals, especially conservation reliant species, and prevent their extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range...
  
  
• Natural environment
  Natural environment
  The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
  
  
• Nature
  Nature
  Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
  
  
• Sustainable development
  Sustainable development
  Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
  
  
• Sustainability
  Sustainability
  Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
  
  

External links

• Peace Parks Foundation
• US-Mexico International Park Initiative
• Beringian Heritage International Park Program
• UNESCO La Amistad International Park overview (PDF file)
• UNEP-WCMC Transboundary Protected Areas website (has a list of Adjoining Protected Areas)
• A-Z of Areas of Biodiversity Importance: Transboundary Protected Areas
• Siachen peace park campaign web site
• Peace Parks: Conservation and Conflict Resolution (MIT Press)