Peace through Preservation: The Peace Parks Movement

Environmentalists and politicians are often at cross-purposes. But sometimes the two join forces to create a political, economic, and environmental entity that serves both. Such is the case with the cross-border peace park. More than a simple wildlife preserve, a cross-border peace park is designed to traverse political boundaries. These divisions, while relevant to humans, are usually meaningless and even harmful to regional ecology. By creating an environmental preserve independent of national boundaries, peace parks help foster common interests between neighboring countries. Such parks also provide a basis for political and environmental dialogue.

An example of this green diplomacy is a multi-island oceanic region in a disputed area between Russia and Japan. The region is part of the Shiretoko National Park on Hokkaido. It is located on the northernmost island of Japan and links a series of land and sea wildlife preserves in and around 4 of the Russian-controlled Kuril Islands. These islands number more than 30. In 2005 the Shiretoko Peninsula was among seven natural sites added to UNESCO's World Heritage List.

This Shiretoko peace park is important because the ownership of 4 Kurils is disputed between Russia and Japan. Although the Soviet Union gained the islands from Japan in 1945, Japan never recognized Russian territorial claims. Though oblivious to the dispute, area wildlife is being affected by humans. Creating a jointly operated peace park would alleviate bird and fish habitat encroachment caused by development on Hokkaido. The park would also lower tensions over ownership of the largely pristine, Russian-controlled Kurils.

The cross-border peace park concept predates World War II. The model originated in 1925, with the Krakow Protocol involving Poland and Czechoslovakia. Twin national parks were created on the nations’ border to symbolize peaceful coexistence. Some, however, argue that the first jointly operated, and perhaps most famous cross-border peace park is Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. The United States and Canada created this park in 1932. It is a product of the combined U.S. Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, and symbolizes sociopolitical cooperation. The park’s creation also serves as a reminder that humans may draw boundaries across the Rocky Mountains, but migratory, free-range wildlife do not.

Over the last 70 years, peace parks have become a global, enviro-political phenomenon. More than 100 parks are in operation, and cross-border or transfrontier parks exist on five continents. Meanwhile, international organizations use environmentalism and wildlife tourism as means of disarming tensions and fostering relations. The peace parks movement has been particularly active and effective in sub- Saharan Africa. In this area nations are beset by civil unrest, military conflict, and AIDS. These countries are working to stabilize territories and utilize wildlife resources to obtain park grants and increase tourism.

As evidenced by these projects, peace parks have value beyond diplomacy and conservation. They often serve as engines of economic renewal. National boundaries still serve numerous legitimate purposes. However, peace parks demonstrate that even the most fiercely maintained divisions can be overlooked for the common good.