ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book reveals that the formation of transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) is a politically driven process, and therefore their conservation and development value is often limited by an exploration of the literature. It highlights the range of drivers responsible for creating and changing boundaries in areas now included in TFCAs. The book undertakes the issues relating to ethnic diversity and its implications for managing resources in TFCAs. It provides an overview of the historical and social dynamics on the edge together with a broader construct of 'the edge' and the role of historical contingency in how the edge is viewed and used both positively and negatively. The book also provides an overview of the major features of 13 TFCAs in Southern Africa and the wide range in their characteristics, including their size, climate, resource base, population densities, land uses, diseases and opportunities.
