ABSTRACT

This chapter begins by providing a brief history of international peace parks and highlights their significance in international diplomacy. Use of an integrated multitrack approach can increase the chances of success and spur the development of a wide range of related programs, projects, and initiatives on multiple levels. A prime example of the use of a multitrack approach is the proposal for the Balkans Peace Park in a part of former Yugoslavia, currently being developed between formerly communist Albania and newly independent Montenegro and Kosovo. The ongoing development of the proposed Balkans Peace Park has produced jobs that are as diverse as the efforts under way to stimulate cross-border cooperation. A diverse, multitrack group of stakeholders has continued to work toward the goal of making the proposed Balkans Peace Park a reality. International peace parks and other transboundary protected areas have similar core areas of focus, from environmental conservation at the ecosystem level to sustainable development requiring cross-border cooperation.