Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) are massive cross-border ecosystems. They share transboundary resources and have ecological corridors for species migration. These areas are critical to regional integration and sustainable development in Southern Africa. With 14 SADC-approved TFCAs spanning over a million square kilometers, their complexity is unmatched. A large part of their management relies on a shared communication strategy, looking at both the internal and external communication elements. This is vitally important to bride socio-political differences that have an influence on conservation measures.

Let’s explore this more.  

Conservation practitioners and park authorities know these landscapes come with a shared conservation responsibility. But this share responsibility is a bit more complex when put into practice. A TFCA will be made up of various local and regional segments, each one having their own government structure, boards, and communities and park authorities. Its this complexity that if often the biggest challenge.

This is where a unified communication strategy moves from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a mission-critical imperative.

The complexity crisis in TFCA management

TFCAs operate under multiple national legal and administrative systems. This can inherently create management friction.

TFCAs are socio-ecological systems. They include national parks, private reserves, and community areas. Stakeholder groups have competing interests: conservation versus development versus ecotourism.

Local communities often feel excluded from policy decisions. Their cultural knowledge should ultimately be absorbed into conservation practices.

We have observed that when there is a lack of transparency between management bodies, it can erode trust among them.

When the benefits of the biodiversity economy are not shared and clearly communicated, resentment grows. This fuels land-use conflict and wildlife crime.

A shared communication plan must actively bridge these gaps. It must demonstrate tangible benefits and provide a voice to all parties, including historically marginalised groups.

Why a single communication strategy is non-negotiable

Multiple management boards require a shared vision and platform. Without it, the TFCA’s vision and message dissolves.

A joint strategy ensures all TFCA partners speak with one clear voice. This consistency builds external credibility with donors and tourists. Internally, it reduces confusion among management board, staff, rangers, community liaison officers, and scientific service teams.

Enabling cross-border operations

Effective conservation relies on coordinated action. Communications is the backbone of this coordination.

• Security: A joint communication protocol enables rapid, seamless information sharing on transboundary security threats. This is essential for countering wildlife crime.
• Disease management: Consistent public health and animal health messaging supports a unified “One Health” approach. This prevents cross-border disease spread. This has been observed with SAT-type Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) with Buffalo populations that migrate through specific corridors.
• Tourism: A single brand identity is vital for marketing the TFCA as a unified destination. This helps maximise regional tourism revenue and subsequent community benefits.

How to design a communication strategy for a TFCA

The strategy’s design is as important as its implementation. Let’s take a look at some steps to

Step 1: Joint vision and audience mapping

A collaborative working group including members from all management boards should attend a stakeholder mapping workshop. It is crucial for each board to understand the unique socio-ecological factor that characterise each region. These factors, along with stakeholders’ interests should be absorbed into a strong shared narrative and key messages.  This narrative must equally reflect conservation and human development goals. Critically, stakeholder mapping must assess the information needs of every group, from national ministers to local traditional authorities.

Step 2: Operationalising transparency

Transparency is the bedrock of trust.

• Open disclosure: A policy should be integrated into the communication strategy around decision-making and knowledge sharing. This should offer guidelines for mitigating shared conservation challenges. Hiding obstacles erodes credibility faster than any setback.
• Feedback loops: The strategy must include co-learning and capacity building processes. This is how a TFCA continually integrates local knowledge and community feedback into its long-term planning.

Step 3: Standardising Crisis Response

TFCAs are vulnerable to crises, disease outbreaks, severe weather, or security incidents. A single communication plan must include a pre-approved transboundary crisis protocol. This ensures fast, coordinated, and factual public information is released, mitigating reputational damage and maintaining stability.

Communications: an important conservation tool

TFCAs represent the future of large-scale conservation. They are crucial nodes for regional stability, development, and conservation.

However, their complex governance structures are their greatest vulnerability. Without a unified communications strategy, policy bottlenecks and stakeholder tensions can escalate.

We must treat strategic communication as a core part of conservation management, not an afterthought. It is the necessary instrument for turning political agreements into on-the-ground, collaborative success.