Over 175 delegates representing more than 30 countries recently convened in the beautiful Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park on the Rocky Mountain border between Canada and the United States.  Participants gathered for 4 days (9-12 September 2007) at the "Peace, Parks and Partnerships Conference" to mark the 75th anniversary of the world's first Peace Park. Conference highlights included: a rare aboriginal ceremony wherein the Superintendents of the host national parks were made honorary chiefs, a full day fieldtrip to explore transboundary management in the Peace Park, the launch of a new book on peace parks, and over 50 presentations that highlighted successes and challenges in transboundary management for both ecological conservation and peace. 
Conference presentations stressed the need to expand transboundary protection into new areas, including marine and aquatic realms, and to strengthen the management in existing areas.  Delegates discussed the complexities of addressing political, economic, social, institutional and biodiversity issues across jurisdictional boundaries.  There was clear agreement that a single establishment and management model was not possible, or even desirable, but that a common framework for designating, evaluating and reporting on effectiveness would be beneficial.  Two specific needs identified throughout the conference were: 1) a need for diagnostic tools to aid decision making on when to promote transboundary initiatives and what processes to include, and 2) a need for supportive networks of practitioners.  Participants were very interested in meeting again and discussions are already underway to hold a follow-up conference in 4 to 5 years.
The conference was followed by a productive meeting of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) – Transboundary Conservation Task Force.  The meeting resulted in a call for greater participation in achieving the mandate of the Task Force. (Michael Quinn)

Further information about the conference, including a selection of presentation and papers, can be viewed at: www.peaceparks2007.org

The Transboundary Conservation Task Force hosts an informative Web site called the Global Transboundary Protected Areas Network: http://www.tbpa.net/

The book "Peace parks: Conservation and Conflict Resolution", edited by Saleem Ali and published by MIT press, was officially launched at the conference: http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=11250  

Published in: ECC-Newsletter, October 2007