Mike Eklund & Amy Lewis
Many of the case studies for Nature Needs Half have involved an area within a defined political jurisdiction at the national, provincial or city level. It is important to note however, that nature crosses borders and that an ecological region is often spread amongst many different political jurisdictions. This is the case with NNH case studies including the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area, the South Caucasus Eco-Region, and the Silk Road. The most ambitious and the largest transfrontier conservation area in the world, however, is known as the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Area.
Nature doesn’t stop just this side of the border, which is why collaboration across national boundaries is essential if we are to protect half the planet. The Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) is a superb example of what is possible when the governments of neighboring countries work together to protect the common ecoregion in which they are situated. With the continued development of conservation and infrastructure programs, the region has the potential to become one of the world’s largest and most successful conservation areas.