Borders are created by man, not animals.
Borders are artificial, they get in the way of people working together.
Borders are created by man, not animals.
Global environmental problems need people of all nations working together. One solution to this has been the development of ‘Peace Parks’.
What are Peace Parks ?
They are usually National Parks that cross international boundaries.
Often they are called ‘Trans-boundary’ parks.
What is the advantage of a Peace Park ?
Migrating animals can cross between the two nations without hinderance from fences and barriers
The two parks follow and promote a common conservation plan.
Indigenous peoples can move freely over the border.
Examples from Europe.
An EU programme called Natura 2000 has helped creat an impressive network of European wildlife reserves amounting to protection of 18% of Europes land area.
A few of these are Peace Parks.
The image above is of Oulanka National Park in Finland. This park joins with the Paanajärvi National Park in Russia, protecting not only rare mammals such as the Lynx and Wolverine but the nomadic Sami people.
Between Poland and Belarus stretches the last primeval forest in Europe. A peace Park exist between the two countries. In Poland the Bialowieza National Park and in Belarus the Belovezhskaya National park.
Africa has some fine examples.
The world renown Kruger National Park stretches between Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
In 2003 a trans-boundary park between South Africa and Namibia was successfully negotiated.
This co-operation led to the creation of the !Ai-!Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Park.
This has protected the cultural heritage of the Nama people as well as securing the conservation of the endemic Succulent Karoo biome.
Nelson Mandela said of Peace Parks
” No political movement, philosophy or ideology does not agree with Peace Parks. It can be embraced by all. Peace is a cornerstone of the future and Peace Parks are a building block in this process”
South America
South America is unique. Of all the worlds continents, nowhere is their a greater plant and animal diversity.
The Cordillera del Condor is a trans-boundary protected area on the border of Ecuador and Peru.
In Patagonia something special has happened recently.
The Patagonia National Park is now a reality. Argentina formalized it in 2017, Chile in 2018
This national park exits on two sides of the border between Argentina and Chile. It is not joined up yet, as there is much private land in between. But the two parks are close together and the potential exists.
Patagonia has an ‘aura’ that attracts visitors from all over the world.
People that seek wilderness. People that want to see the very best landscapes and wildlife that exists on earth.
Patagonia has all that.
One day hopefullt there will be a trans-boundary Patagonia National Park.
A place where the Puma can thrive, where herds of Guanaco can travel unmolested across the land.
After all borders are created by man, not animals.
