Overview & Background
It is widely accepted that most national parks are simply too small to fulfill their mission of preserving natural and cultural resources on their own. Park managers know that to fulfill their mandate, they cannot manage a protected area as an isolated island, but must seek opportunities to partner with neighboring land owners and the local community. National parks around the world are all ultimately linked together by a variety of natural and cultural phenomena. Migratory species such as birds, butterflies, sea turtles, whales and other marine life that breed in parks in North America and Europe migrate through and spend the winter in protected areas throughout Central and South America, Africa and Asia. Air pollution created in one country causes environmental damage to parks in other countries even thousands of miles away. Non-native invasive species wreak havoc on native flora and fauna. Diseases such as “Mad Cow Disease” are transported around the world in a matter of hours. Many U.S. national parks also preserve and interpret important aspects of the cultural heritage of the various peoples who settled the nation, such Mesa Verde, the Statue of Liberty and New Orleans Jazz.
Several NPS sites have established "sister park" relationships in the last few years with national parks in other countries. These partnerships increase information sharing and direct park-to-park contacts to address many of the common issues mentioned above, primarily through improved telecommunications technologies. While these relationships are driven by the parks themselves, the NPS Office of International Affairs provides advice, guidelines and a State Department-cleared template for establishing sister park relationships.
State Department Guidance on Non-Binding Agreements
NPS List of Sister Park arrangements by country
Sister Park News
Rocky Mountain NP establishes Sister Park relationship with Tatra National Park in Poland (Article courtesy of Estes Park Trail-Gazette: November 2007)
Sister Park Intent Agreement Signed with Mongolia (October 23, 2007)
Mesa Verde announces new Sister Park relationships (Press Release) with several Mexican National Parks
Sister Cultural Parks Conference Summary