Planning for Peace; Introduction of Transboundary Conservation Areas

Abstract

The idea of conserving borderlands has been founded to mitigate the issues around the political borders. Similarly, "Transboundary Conserved Area" or "Peace Park" has been created to protect the environmental resources and precious biodiversity over the political borders as well as enhancing international cooperation through harmonizing resource management approaches. There are various forms of the peace parks created all around the world especially in Africa. Even though various kinds of these parks are created, the subject seems interesting and new in Asian and Middle East countries. Thus, this research aims to provide a comprehensive view of the subject that can be practical for the urban and environmental planners. Trying to determine their functions; this research explains seven operated projects as examples of Transboundary Conserved Area. To gain information, desk research is used, which collects secondary data from the available sources. Regarding data analysis, it shows how these parks contribute to the ecological improvement and other political, economic, and cultural benefits. The results of the cases' surveys demonstrate a tangible consideration on ecosystem conservation, while other functions defined to the peace parks and peacemaking have been underestimated and partially ignored.

Border of What: Ecology or Human?

“…The transboundary peace park is a category that integrates cooperative management of the resources including ecosystems and cultural resources over jurisdictional boundaries (Ali, 2007;Pouya and Özkul, 2017). They improve ecosystem integration and biological processes by harmonizing natural resources management ways and other cooperation among their governments and stakeholders (Pouya et al, 2018). In Iran, over last years, the idea of creating peace parks on its political boundries has been discussed by Environmtal Ministry of the country.…”

Tree species composition and diversity in Agoro-Agu Central Forest Reserve, Lamwo District, Northern Uganda

“…Accordingly these findings should be used to boost the creation of a National Park to protect key vegetation types and their associated biodiversity in Agoro-Agu and neighbouring forest reserves (Corrigan et al, 2018). Finally, by the refugees leaving the encroach part of the reserves and getting settled outside Agoro-Agu Central Forest Reserve, is a positive sign that a reduction in population pressure can allow for the recovery of forests in this area (Watson et al, 2018); potentially paving the way for a trans-boundary park with related conservation benefits (Trogisch and Fletcher, 2020;Pouya and Pouya, 2018) between Uganda and South Sudan.…”