Dear Zip23,
There are several fine online descriptions you could use to understand
these issues better.
In general, the term "Transfrontier Conservation" refers to the action
taken in an area (a "Transfrontier Conservation Area, or a TFCA - also
called "Peace Parks in South Africa http://www.peaceparks.org/), which
is shared by several countries, and it is agreed upon that it should
be conserved. Therefore, special measures - such as "Transnational
Environmenal Management" (i.e., environmental management beyond the
level of a specific sovreign state) - must be taken in order to deal
with those complexities.
Since many (if not most) areas that are defined as "transfrontier
conservation areas" are in Africa, it is not surprising, that many
referrences to transfrontier conservation could be found in regards to
African projects. For example, the Souther African government defines
TFCAs as "... relatively large areas, straddling frontiers between two
or more countries and cover large-scale natural systems encompassing
one or more protected areas. TFCAs involve a unique level of
international co-operation between the participating countries,
particularly issues related to the opening of international boundaries
and within each region. For TFCAs to become a reality, support is
required at five levels, namely:
Political: TFCAs involve a unique level of international co-operation
between the participating countries, particularly on sensitive issues
related to the opening of international boundaries. An open commitment
by each Head of State is an essential prerequisite for the TFCA to
succeed.
Regional: Within each region, the relevant international bodies have a
key role to play in facilitating the process. SADC’s support for the
TFCA process is of paramount importance.
Technical: Within each TFCA all the relevant "technical" responsible
agencies must be consulted and involved, including the conservation
departments responsible for immigration, police, home affairs,
customs, health, etc.
Local communities: All local communities in and adjacent to the TFCAs
must be consulted at the start of the development process and every
effort should be made to make them partners in the business
opportunities that will open up.
Financial: TFCAs are expensive to establish and run successfully.
Financial support must be forthcoming from the State, with perhaps the
bulk of the funding coming from private sector investments and
bilateral and multilateral aid agencies." (Source: Department of
Foreign Affairs "Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs)"
http://www.dfa.gov.za/for-relations/multilateral/tfca.htm).
An additional source defines and describes a TFCA as "a cross-border
region where the different component areas have different forms of
conservation status, such as private game reserves, communal
natural-resource management areas, and even hunting concession areas.
Fences, major highways, railway lines or other barriers may separate
the various parts. Nevertheless, they border each other and they are
managed for long-term sustainable use of natural resources, although
free movement of animals between the different parts is not possible"
(Source: Transfrontier conservation areas,
http://www.environment.gov.za/ProjProg/TFCAs/TFCA_contents.htm).
In 1999, South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe signed an initial
agreement on the subject, as you could read in an article about it "3
African nations create joint conservation area" (Agence France-Press,
26th Ocrober 1999, http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=7v32g6%24700%241%40dipsy.missouri.edu&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain).
The agreement developed to be approved at the World Economic Summit
(2000) by the ministers responsible for the environment in the three
countries ("AFRICA ENTICES TOURISTS WITH NEW TRI-NATION CONSERVATION
AREA", ENS, June 22, 2000 ,
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=8iut17%24v2v%241%40pencil.math.missouri.edu&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain,
4th article).
However, it would be wrong to assume that transnational environmenal
management is only taking place in the connotation of the TFCAs. There
are many other instances of transnational environmental management,
whereas bodies and organisations from different countries cooperate in
order to preserve the environment.
See, for example:
Helen Ingram, Lenard Milich, and Robert G. Varady, "Toward Better
Policy Design in Transnational Environmental Management: Learning from
the U.S.-Mexico Example." Environment 36, 4 (May 1994):6-9, 28-38.
I hope that answered your question. If you need any further
clarifications on this answer, please let me know - I've searched the
web for the relevant terms as well as used my own knowledge in the
area. I'd be pleased to clarify my answer before you rate it. |
