Paliastomi Lake in Kolkheti National Park
Sister Park Relationship
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. Many U.S. national parks, such as Mesa Verde, the Statue of Liberty and Manzanar, also preserve and interpret important aspects of the cultural heritage of the various peoples who settled the nation. Several National Park Service 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 common issues.
Kolkheti National Park
