A transboundary protected area (TBPA) is a natural area that is protected and crosses the borders of more than one country or region within a country. These areas are sometimes called transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) or peace parks.

TBPA areas can be found in many places around the world and are created for different purposes. One important reason is to protect the movement of animals that travel across borders to find food and water. These areas also help support tourism, create jobs, improve relationships between neighboring countries, and allow local people who live in the area to move more easily.

Types of transboundary protected areas

Transboundary Protected Areas (TBPAs) can be found in different geographic areas, have different levels of ecological protection, and involve different amounts of international cooperation. Different organizations use different definitions for TBPAs. Julia Marton-Lefevre describes TBPAs as areas that have some level of cooperation across one or more country borders. The Southern Africa Development Community's Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement defines a Transfrontier Conservation Area as a part of a large ecological region that crosses the borders of two or more countries. It includes protected areas and areas where people use natural resources.

The Global Transboundary Protected Areas Network (GTPAN) lists four types of "transboundary conservation areas":

• Type 1: Transboundary Protected Area – a clearly defined area that includes protected areas connected across one or more international borders and involves cooperation.
• Type 2: Transboundary Conservation Landscape and/or Seascape – an ecologically connected area that includes protected areas and areas where people use natural resources across one or more international borders and involves cooperation.
• Type 3: Transboundary Conservation Migration Area – wildlife habitats in two or more countries that are necessary to support migratory species and involve cooperation.
• Special designation: Park for Peace – any of the three types of transboundary conservation areas that are dedicated to promoting, celebrating, or remembering peace and cooperation.

GTPAN defines a transboundary protected area as a clearly defined geographical space that includes protected areas connected across one or more international borders and involves some form of cooperation. GTPAN defines a transboundary conservation landscape and/or seascape as an ecologically connected area that includes protected areas and areas where people use natural resources across one or more international borders and involves some form of cooperation. GTPAN defines a transboundary conservation migration area as wildlife habitats in two or more countries that are necessary to support migratory species and involve some form of cooperation.

Many TBPAs are part of larger international environmental or cultural programs. They can be World Heritage Sites, Ramsar Wetlands, or UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

History of transboundary protected areas

In 1932, the governments of Canada and the United States created the first international peace park called Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park by passing laws. This action came after a joint resolution from the Rotary Clubs of Montana and Alberta, which asked for the park to be built.

On February 1, 1997, Anton Rupert, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, and Nelson Mandela started the Peace Parks Foundation. This nonprofit organization was created to help establish transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs), which are protected areas that cross national borders.

A study by the World Conservation Union in 2001 found that there were 166 existing transboundary protected area complexes worldwide, which included 666 individual conservation zones.

In 2007, the Global Transboundary Conservation Network published a list of all transboundary protected areas around the world. This list identified 227 such areas.

Established transboundary protected areas

• Maloti-Drakensberg Park is a World Heritage Site located on the border between Lesotho and South Africa. It includes Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho and uKahlamba Drakensberg Park.
• Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls is a World Heritage Site on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is a World Heritage Site on the border between Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea.
• Sangha Trinational is a World Heritage Site on the borders of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Republic of Congo. It includes Lobeke National Park, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, and Nouabale-Ndoki National Park in these countries. Additional forested areas surround the parks. A group of officials from the three countries works together to manage the site.
• Virunga Volcanoes Transboundary Conservation Area is a UNESCO World Heritage site on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. It includes parts of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
• W-Arly-Pendjari is a World Heritage Site on the borders of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Benin. It is also recognized as a Ramsar wetland and a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

• Complexe Kokorou-Namga is a Ramsar wetland shared between Burkina Faso and Mali.
• Complexe Transfrontalier Lac Tele-Grands Affluents-Lac Tumba is a Ramsar wetland on the border of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Niumi-Saloum is a Ramsar wetland on the border of Gambia and Senegal. It includes Niumi National Park in Gambia and Delta du Saloum National Park in Senegal.
• A Ramsar wetland complex covers Lake Chad, including areas in Niger, Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon.
• Zone Humide du Moyen is a Ramsar wetland shared between Benin and Nigeria.

• Delta du Fleuve Senegal is a UNESCO biosphere reserve shared between Mauritania and Senegal.
• Mono is a UNESCO biosphere reserve shared between Benin and Togo.

• ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a conservation area shared between Namibia and South Africa.
• Chimanimani Transfrontier Park is a conservation area on the border of Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It includes Chimanimani National Reserve in Mozambique and Chimanimani National Park in Zimbabwe.
• Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a conservation area shared by Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. It includes Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, and Gonarezhou National Park and Sengwe Corridor in Zimbabwe.
• Greater Mapungubwe is a conservation area shared between Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
• Kavango Zambezi is a conservation area shared by Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is the largest transboundary conservation area in the world and includes the Mosi-oa-Tunya World Heritage Site.
• Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a conservation area shared between Botswana and South Africa.
• Kidepo is a conservation area shared between South Sudan and Uganda. It includes Kidepo Game Reserve in South Sudan and Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda.
• Kilimanjaro is a conservation area centered on Mount Kilimanjaro, shared between Kenya and Tanzania. It includes Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Amboseli National Park in Kenya.
• Lower Zambezi – Mana Pools is a conservation area shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area is a conservation area shared between Mozambique, South Africa, and Eswatini.
• Malawi-Zambia TFCA is a conservation area shared between Malawi and Zambia. It crosses borders in multiple places.
• Niokolo Koba-Badiar is a conservation area shared between Guinea and Senegal.
• Serengeti-Masai is a conservation area shared between Kenya and Tanzania.
• A conservation area crosses the border between Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. It includes a Ramsar wetland in Burkina Faso and the National Park of Comoe in Côte d'Ivoire.
• The Global Transboundary Conservation Network's 2007 list includes additional conservation areas on borders between: Liberia and Sierra Leone; Guinea and Liberia; Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia; Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana at three locations; Cameroon and Nigeria at two locations; Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea; Central African Republic and Sudan; Congo and Gabon; Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan; South Sudan and Uganda; Kenya and Uganda; Kenya and Somalia; Burundi and Rwanda; Rwanda and Tanzania; Tanzania and Uganda; Tanzania and Zambia; Mozambique and Tanzania; and Angola and Namibia.

• Govater Bay and Hur-e-Bahu – Jiwani Coastal Wetland is a Ramsar wetland shared between Iran and Pakistan.
• Hamun-e-Puzak, south end – Hamun-e-Saberi & Hamun-e-Helmand is a Ramsar wetland shared between Afghanistan and Iran.
• Landscapes of Dauria is a World Heritage Site on the border of Mongolia and Russia, covering the Daurian Steppe. It includes Dornod Mongol Biosphere Reserve in Mongolia and Daursky Nature Reserve in Russia.
• Labi Hills/Gunung Pulu Transboundary Complex is a conservation area shared between Brunei and Malaysia.
• The Lanjak Entimau/Batang/Ai/Betung Kerihun Complex is a conservation area shared between Indonesia and Malaysia. These two countries have two additional conservation areas on their shared border.
• Taxkorgan is a protected area shared between Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan. It includes Wahan National Park in Afghanistan, Taxkorgan Nature Reserve in China, and Khunjerab National Park in Pakistan.
• The Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area is a marine protected area that includes the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary in the Philippines and the Turtle Islands National Park in Malaysia.
• Uvs Nuur Basin is a World Heritage Site on the border of Mongolia and Russia, covering Uvs Nuur Lake and its wetlands. Mongolia and Russia have two additional conservation areas on their shared border.
• Wasur-Tonda Transboundary Conservation Area is a conservation area shared between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
• The Global Transboundary Conservation Network's 2007 list includes 49 additional conservation areas in Asian countries.
• The Heart of Borneo is a protected area on the island of Borneo, shared between Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

• Bialowieza Forest is a World Heritage Site on the border of Belarus and Poland.

Areas in the conceptual phase

By 2006, TBPA advocates had found more areas to protect. Professor Saleem Ali from the University of Vermont said that "many ecologically important places are still not protected" and referred to a 2006 "geographic information systems (GIS) study" that "found 104 cross-border wild areas in 61 countries that are not officially part of any conservation park." Proposed TBPAs include:

• Liuwa Plain – Kameia TFCA (Angola/Zambia)
• Niassa Reserve – Selous TFCA (Mozambique/Tanzania)
• Mnazi Bay – Quirimbas Transfrontier Marine Conservation Area (Mozambique/Tanzania)
• The demilitarized zone between North and South Korea is a possible TBPA/peace park. Professor Saleem Ali noted that the DMZ "has become a place where wildlife lives safely because there is no development in the area." Nelson Mandela visited South Korea to support this idea. Ted Turner also visited the Korean peninsula to promote the idea in 2005.
• The Siachen Glacier area between India and Pakistan has been suggested as a peace park.
• A project for the Green Line Peace Park in Cyprus, between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot areas, is being studied by Dr. Anna Grichting at Harvard University.

As people have learned more about the need to protect the Arctic’s natural state and environment, there has been a worldwide effort to make the Arctic a global sanctuary or international peace park. The Save the Arctic campaign by Greenpeace, an environmental nonprofit group, has gained online support from more than 5 million people worldwide.

Areas with treaty signed

• The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (Botswana/South Africa) was opened on 12 May 2000.
• The Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (Namibia/South Africa) (see also Nama people: Namaqua and Ai-Ais Hot Springs) was signed on 17 August 2001.
• The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park was signed on 10 November 2000.

Memorandums of agreement signed

• Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area (Botswana/South Africa/Zimbabwe), originally signed on June 22, 2006. Now renamed as the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area.
• Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area (Mozambique/South Africa/Eswatini).
• Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area (Lesotho/South Africa), signed on June 11, 2001.
• Iona – Skeleton Coast Transfrontier Conservation Area (Angola/Namibia), signed on May 3, 2018.
• Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) (Angola/Botswana/Namibia/Zambia/Zimbabwe), signed on December 7, 2006. This will be the world's largest peace park, covering areas in 5 different countries.
• Malawi – Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area (Malawi/Zambia), signed on August 13, 2004.
• Chimanimani Transfrontier Conservation Area (Mozambique/Zimbabwe).

Impacts on peace and conflict

Transboundary protected areas, also called peace parks, are shared natural areas between countries that do not always get along. These areas aim to help countries work together, improve the lives of people living nearby, show that cooperation can lead to benefits for all, and support more peaceful relationships between nations. Examples of where this has happened include the Virunga region in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda; the Trifinio region between El Salvador and Honduras; and the Cordillera del Cóndor region between Ecuador and Peru. A study from 2014 found that countries sharing a transboundary protected area are slightly less likely to have military conflicts with each other. However, it is still unclear whether these protected areas cause better relations or are a result of already improving relations. A more recent study used information from multiple sources to show that international efforts to protect the environment, such as peace parks and water treaties, can increase the chances of countries in conflict finding peace. This effect is small and depends on factors like how much attention is given to the environment, political stability within countries, a history of working together on environmental issues, and ongoing efforts to resolve conflicts.

Some experts argue that peace parks have limited influence on formal agreements between countries but may cause local conflicts. For example, they might increase government control in certain areas, favor businesses and tourism over the needs of local people, or prevent local communities from using the protected areas. These parks can also lead to small-scale conflicts between countries, such as disagreements over how to share money earned from the parks or how to manage people living in the areas.

Massive Online Open Course on Peace Park Development and Management

A free online course about Peace Park Development and Management was created by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD). This course was made possible through the Peace and Biodiversity Dialogue Initiative, with help from UNDP and the NBSAP Forum. The course is available in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic. It is funded by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea.

The course teaches participants how to:
– learn about creating Peace Parks;
– explain why Peace Parks are important for peace and nature;
– plan, build, and manage Peace Parks effectively;
– solve problems that come with making and managing protected areas that cross national borders.

The course is designed for people who work on Peace Parks and those interested in using nature to promote peace. However, anyone can join. To register, participants must first create an account on Learning for Nature.