Transcending borders in Peace Parks

When we travel, we often scrutinize our interaction with residents of the areas we’re visiting. How do we get up close and connect in a way we might miss if we were just passing through? How can we get a local perspective on what life is like in a different place? The answer is often to slow down, be open to new experiences and strike up conversations. Another answer? Visit a Peace Park.

Peace Parks, also known as Transfrontier Conservation Areas, are protected areas that span the borders of a country, state or other sub-national unit. To be considered a Peace Park, the conservation work done in these areas must help resolve a dispute or sustain peace between the neighboring regions—with the intent that scarcity can lead to conservation, rather than conflict. They support regional peace, allowing the free movement of people and wildlife across the borders within the park.

These parks can be found across the globe, including the Cordillera del Cóndor between Peru and Ecuador; the Virunga Volcanoes Transboundary Conservation Area between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park between Canada and the United States. In 2007, 227 internationally adjoining protected areas were recognized. A Peace Park is currently being developed between North and South Korea.

For more information on Peace Parks, visit the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the Global Transboundary Protected Areas Network and the United Nations Environment Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Centre.There’s also a book, “Peace Parks: Conservation and Conflict Resolution,” available.

Have you visited a Peace Park? Where?