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Waterton Glacier National Parks - The
First Peace Park – Challenges and
Lessons Learned
Mr. Nikita Lopoukhine
Chair of the World Commission on Protected Areas, IUCN
The vision of a few local people in and around Waterton Lakes National Park in
Canada and Glacier National Park in the United States of America yielded a magnificent
legacy, the world’s first Peace Park. The official designation as a Peace Park by both
countries came about in 1932 through the passing of respective legislation by the US
Congress and Canada’s Parliament. The drive to establish a peace park came after the First
World War between friendly nations with people sharing common values across the border.
The cooperative management regime that has developed over time stands as a strong
example of the good will of staff that openly shares strengths and competencies for
advancing conservation. Joint meetings, shared plans, and other joint activities have built up
an ecosystem approach to managing resources, exemplified best by fire management. More
importantly, perhaps, is that the joint parks are now at the core of a much broader
landscape initiative that involves tourism and other resource management agencies under the
rubric of Crown of the Continent and embedded solidly in the Yellowstone to Yukon
Connectivity initiative.
Subsequent to the events of 9-11 strains have begun to emerge on what was previously
a much more relaxed joint management regime. Movement between the parks is much more
restricted, the border retains its presence as a cut line that is sprayed with chemicals to
halt vegetation growth and in general questions arise what are the peace benefits being
derived from the designation of some 78 years ago. Canada and the United Sates have
been at peace since 1812 when shots were last exchanged. They share the longest
undefended border and citizens cross the border with relative ease, However new rules of
passport controls have recently been introduced and both sides of the border are now
manned by armed personnel. Visitors to the World’s first peace park, Waterton and Glacier
national parks, have not been excluded from these heightened restrictions.
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