The Peace Park Foundation, founded in 1997 by Dr Anton Rupert, President Nelson Mandela and

Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (later Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands; 29 June 1911 – 1 December 2004) was Prince of the Netherlands from 6 September 1948 to 30 April 1980 as the husband of Queen Juliana. They had four daughters to ...

, is an organisation that aims to re-establish, renew and conserve large

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...

s in Africa, transcending man-made boundaries by creating regionally integrated and sustainably managed networks of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). Peace Parks Foundation has been involved in the establishment and development of ten of the 18 TFCAs found throughout

southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost region of Africa. No definition is agreed upon, but some groupings include the United Nations geoscheme for Africa, United Nations geoscheme, the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community, and ...

, all of which are in various stages of development. The establishment of each TFCA, or peace park, is complex and far-reaching, and involves several phases of activity, which can take many years to achieve.

Overview: Thinking beyond boundaries

The IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group (https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/45173#:~:text=IUCN%20World%20Commission%20on%20Protected%20Areas%20(WCPA)%2C%20Transboundary%20Conservation%20Specialist%20Group) in their publication, 'Transboundary Conservation - A systematic and integrated approach' (Vasilijević, M., Zunckel, K., McKinney, M., Erg, B., Schoon, M., Rosen Michel, T. (2015). Transboundary Conservation: A systematic and integrated approach. Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 23, Gland, Switzerland: IUCN.) outline the history of Peace Parks, indicating that the concept is a global one, tracing back to transboundary conservation initiatives pioneered in Europe and North America, but as early as the 18th century, a Treaty of Alliance between Louis XVI, King of France, and Frederic of Wangen, Prince-Bishop of Basel, recognized that offences related to forests, hunting and fishing had to be properly dealt with in order to keep good relations and peace between the two bordering states. This agreement called for uniform laws to cover these issues in the shared region. he Krakow Protocol, signed on 6 May 1924 by the governments of Poland and what was then Czechoslovakia, provided for the final delineation of a disputed boundary left over from World War I, and the bilateral regulation of tourism and traffic in the border areas. The Krakow Protocol has particular importance for transboundary conservation as its Annex, signed on 5 September 1925, outlined the designation of a joint bilateral nature park in the Pieniny Mountains. However, the provisions of this Annex were not implemented until 1932, when Europe’s first TBPA was established at an official ceremony held in Crveny Klastor (in today’s Slovakia). In the 1930s

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

and the

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

created the ambitious

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is the union of Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and Glacier National Park in the United States. Both parks are declared Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO and their union as a World Heritage Site. ...

. The idea of TFCAs remain a compelling concept and conclusive evidence has shown that transboundary habitats flourish more than disconnected habitats, as these areas accommodate gene pools, wildlife movement and migration, water flow and the propagation of plant species. This also creates opportunities for regional economic development and shared conservation of biodiversity and promote regional peace and stability by demonstrating the benefits of cooperation. One of the greatest barriers to the protection of cross-border ecosystems, is the lack of sufficient resources with which to successfully implement the plans and visions of those who commit themselves to the pursuit. This includes a lack of expertise in the field of conservation and nature-based economies, as well as a lack of funds to execute actions and address shortcomings.

The Foundation at work

Peace Parks assist the TFCA partner countries in identifying key projects, designing project plans and in securing the necessary funds required to implement the project. By so doing, Peace Parks engages with governments to secure protected land, and channel investment into development of transboundary conservation areas. Most of these areas suffer from devastated ecosystems and depleted

wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animals and uncultivated plant species which can exist in their natural habitat, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introdu ...

, because the ravages of war and excessive commercial exploitation of these

natural resource Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest, and cultural value. ...

s. The organisation plans and implements innovative strategies that revitalise habitat integrity, restore ecological functionality, and protect

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

. This includes translocating thousands of animals each year to

rewild ''Rewild'' is the debut album by Amazing Baby and it was released on June 22, 2009. The album received a varied response from critics, and did not chart in either Europe or the United States. Track listing #"Bayonets" #"Invisible Palace" #"K ...

previously decimated wilderness areas, as well as investing significant resources into the reduction of wildlife crime. The Foundation develops nature-based tourism and enterprise opportunities to ensure the long-term sustainability of protected areas. At the same time, it focuses on communities living in and around these wild spaces, capacitating them in the sustainable use of natural resources and unlocking opportunities for them to derive equitable benefits from conservation. Peace Parks’ support also includes capacity building through the appointment of key role players such as technical advisors, park and project managers, and even rangers. Peace Parks will often act as project implementation agent for the TFCA partner countries to take the role in matters such as contractual project execution and operations.

TFCAs that Peace Parks is involved in

Great Limpopo

On 9 December 2002, Heads of State of Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe signed an international treaty at Xai-Xai, Mozambique to establish the

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 (formerly known as Coutada 16) in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou Natio ...

(GLTP). This 35 000 km² park links the

Limpopo National Park The Limpopo National Park () was born when the status of Coutada 16 Wildlife Utilisation Area in Gaza Province, Mozambique, was changed from a hunting concession to a protected area. It forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park with the ...

Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...

, the

Kruger National Park Kruger National Park () is a national park in South Africa covering an area of in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in the country's northeast. It extends from north to south and from east to west. The administrative headquarters are i ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, and the

Gonarezhou National Park Gonarezhou National Park is a national park located in southeastern Zimbabwe. It is situated in a relatively remote corner of Masvingo Province, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. Owing to its vast size, rugged terrain and its loc ...

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

. The GLTP forms the core of the larger Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, measuring almost 100 000 km², that includes the Banhine and Zinave National Parks, the Massingir and Corumana areas and interlinking regions in Mozambique, as well as various privately and state-owned conservation areas in South Africa and Zimbabwe bordering on the transfrontier park.

Lubombo

The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area (TFCA) Protocol was signed between the Governments of Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland on 22 June 2000. The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area includes four distinct transfrontier conservation areas between Mozambique, South Africa and The Kingdom of eSwatini, covering a total area of 10 029 km². It lies in the Maputaland Centre of Plant Endemism that includes five

Ramsar sites A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O) *** Permanent 8 ha (P) *** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts) **

Ndumo Game Reserve Ndumo Game Reserve is a small () South African game reserve famous for its wetlands which shelter hippopotamus, crocodiles, fishes and an extraordinary diversity of birdlife. It is located in the far northeast district of KwaZulu-Natal known as M ...

, the

Kosi Bay Kosi Bay is a series of four interlinked lakes in the Maputaland area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ecology The lakes form part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The closest town is Manguzi, some away from it. ...

System, Lake Sibaya, the Turtle Beaches and Coral Reefs of

Tongaland Maputaland is a natural region of Southern Africa. It is located in the northern part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between Eswatini and the coast. In a wider sense it may also include the southernmost region of Mozambique. The bi ...

and Lake St. Lucia (Africa's largest estuary). The TFCA boasts the first marine TFCA in Africa, the Ponta do Ouro-Kosi Bay TFCA, that connects Mozambique's Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve with South Africa's

iSimangaliso Wetland Park iSimangaliso Wetland Park is situated on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, about north of Durban by road. It is South Africa's third-largest protected area, spanning of coastline, from the Mozambique, Mozambican border in the n ...

, which is a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

Kavango Zambezi

On 7 December 2006, the five partner countries sign an MoU to establish the world's largest transfrontier conservation area and appoint the KAZA Secretariat to steer its development. The Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA is situated in the Kavango and Zambezi river basins where the borders of

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

and

converge. It spans an area of approximately 520 000 km² and includes 36 proclaimed protected areas such as national parks, game reserves, forest reserves, community conservancies and game/wildlife management areas. Nestled within KAZA's boundaries are two of Africa's biggest tourist attractions. The

Victoria Falls Victoria Falls (Lozi language, Lozi: ''Mosi-oa-Tunya'', "Thundering Smoke/Smoke that Rises"; Tonga language (Zambia and Zimbabwe), Tonga: ''Shungu Namutitima'', "Boiling Water") is a waterfall on the Zambezi River, located on the border betwe ...

is both a World Heritage Site and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The

Okavango Delta The Okavango Delta or Okavango Grassland is a vast inland delta in Botswana formed where the Okavango River reaches a tectonic trough at an elevation of in the central part of the endorheic basin of the Kalahari Desert. It is a UNESCO Wor ...

, the largest inland delta and a World Heritage Site, is a significant place where largescale migrations of

megafauna In zoology, megafauna (from Ancient Greek, Greek μέγας ''megas'' "large" and Neo-Latin ''fauna'' "animal life") are large animals. The precise definition of the term varies widely, though a common threshold is approximately , this lower en ...

take place annually.

Malawi-Zambia

On 13 August 2004, an MoU was signed towards the establishment of the Malawi-Zambia TFCA. The 32 278 km²

Malawi Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...

TFCA incorporates national parks, wildlife reserves, forest reserves and game management areas. The TFCA comprises two main components: The Nyika-North Luangwa component is centred on a high

montane grassland Montane grasslands and shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wildlife Fund. The biome includes high elevation grasslands and shrublands around the world. The term "montane" in the name of the biome refers to "high elevation", rather than t ...

plateau rising over 2 000 m above the

bushveld The Bushveld (from Afrikaans: ''bosveld'', Afrikaans: ''bos'' 'bush' and ) is a Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands, sub-tropical woodland ecoregion of Southern Africa. The ecoregion straddles the Tropic of Capricorn ...

and wetlands of Vwaza Marsh. These high-lying areas are often shrouded in mist, giving them a unique appeal. In summer a multitude of wildflowers and

orchids Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth ...

burst forth on the highlands, making it a sight unlike any seen in most other game parks. The

Kasungu Kasungu is a town in the Kasungu District of the Central Region of Malawi. The population of Kasungu was 58,653 according to the 2018 census. Kasungu is approximately north-west of the capital of Malawi, Lilongwe, and is east of Kasungu Nati ...

/ Lukusuzi component, on the other hand, is an area of significant importance for biodiversity conservation in the Central Zambezian

Miombo Woodland Miombo woodland is a tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome (in the World Wide Fund for Nature scheme) located in central and southern tropical Africa. It includes three woodland savanna ecoregions (listed below) charac ...

Ecoregion.

/Ai/Ais-Richtersveld

In August 2003, Namibia and South Africa signed a treaty to officially establish the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, and joint management, tourism and financial protocol plans were completed. Spanning across 5 920 km², this transfrontier park comprises the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park in Namibia and the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa. The /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park spans across some of the most spectacular arid and desert mountain scenery in southern Africa and includes the

Fish River Canyon The Fish River Canyon (Afrikaans: ''Visrivier Canyon'' or'' Visrivier Kuil'', ) is located in the south of Namibia. It is the largest canyon in Africa, and the second most visited tourist attraction in Namibia.Matador Trips - 27 of the deepest c ...

, the world's second largest canyon. This is also where one-third of the world's 10 000

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

species grow.

Kgalagadi

On 7 April 1999, a bilateral agreement recognising the newly named

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a large wildlife reserve and conservation biology, conservation area in southern Africa. The park straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and comprises two adjoining national parks: * Kalahari Gems ...

(KTP) is signed between Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks and

South African National Parks South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa's national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926, and currently manages 19 parks consisting of , over 3% of the total area of South Africa. Many parks offer ...

. This agreement established the first formally recognised transfrontier park in Southern Africa. Today, the KTP is 35 551 km² in extent, of which 73% is in

with the remainder in South Africa.

Greater Mapungubwe

On 22 June 2006, an MoU signalling the intent to establish and develop the Limpopo/Shashe TFCA was signed and an international coordinator appointed. Situated at the confluence of the Shashe and

Limpopo Limpopo () is the northernmost Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The term Limpopo is derived from Rivombo (Livombo/Lebombo), a ...

Rivers, the Greater Mapungubwe TFCA measures 5 909 km2 and encompasses areas in three countries, which are Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Kingdom of Mapungubwe was once the centre of civilisation in the south with evidence of the oldest modern capital city in southern Africa with over 5 000 inhabitants living there at its peak in ±1 100 AD.

Maloti-Drakensberg

On 11 June 2001, an MoU was signed between South Africa and Lesotho towards the establishment of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area. The Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area covers 14 740 km² of the mountains that straddle the north-eastern border between

Lesotho Lesotho, formally the Kingdom of Lesotho and formerly known as Basutoland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Entirely surrounded by South Africa, it is the largest of only three sovereign enclave and exclave, enclaves in the world, t ...

and South Africa. This cross-border protected area preserves the globally important biodiversity and cultural value of the entire region. The vast stretch of land is home to almost two million people, contributing to an explicit goal of the TFCA, to make a positive difference in the livelihoods of people by ensuring that they benefit from nature-based tourism.

Liuwa Plains-Mussuma

In 2011, an MoU and supporting documentation for the establishment of the Liuwa Plains-Mussuma TFCA were finalised for signing. In 2013, Zambia and Angola met to discuss the development of an Integrated Development Plan for the TFCA. The Liuwa Plains-Mussuma TFCA measures 14 464 km² and spans the border of Angola and Zambia. This TFCA protects the second largest

wildebeest Wildebeest ( , ,), also called gnu ( or ), are antelopes of the genus ''Connochaetes'' and native to Eastern and Southern Africa. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes true antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep, and other even-toed ...

migration in Africa, as well as a significant portion of the catchment area of the

Zambezi River The Zambezi (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers , slightly less than half of t ...

, Africa's fourth largest river system.

Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools

Measuring 17 745 km², the Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools TFCA is composed of the

Lower Zambezi National Park The Lower Zambezi National Park lies on the north bank of the Zambezi River in southeastern Zambia. Until 1983 when the area was declared a national park, the area was the private game reserve of Zambia's president. This meant that the park was p ...

(4,092 km²) in Zambia, and the

Mana Pools National Park Mana Pools National Park is a wildlife conservation area and national park in northern Zimbabwe.Zambezi Valley The Zambezi (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers , slightly less than half of t ...

, which since the dawn of time has been used by wildlife as a thoroughfare between the escarpment and the Zambezi River.

References

"Peace Parks Annual Review and Financial Statements 2018"
(PDF) Retrieved 2020-03-19.
"Peace Parks Annual Review and Financial Statements 2017"
(PDF) Retrieved 2020-03-19. * * * * * {{Authority control 1997 establishments in South Africa Charities based in South Africa Netherlands–South Africa relations Organizations established in 1997 Organisations based in the Western Cape