Protected areas are vital for life on earth. They safeguard biological and cultural diversity, help improve local communities' livelihoods, provide the homelands for many indigenous people, and bring countless benefits to society. As the world becomes more crowded and the pressures on natural resources increase, there is a growing recognition of the importance of such places to humankind's future. Around one-third of all high biodiversity, sites are located around national land borders. Their conservation needs cooperation between neighboring states.
