The Risks of Greening in the Red Zone: Creating Afghanistan’s First National Park in the Midst of Conflict

After two generations of peace, Afghanistan slid into conflict in 1978, turning much of the country into a dangerous red zone. In the midst of this conflict, Afghanistan established its first National Park, Band-e-Amir, to better preserve one of its natural wonders. While such an endeavor may seem frivolous, the environmental planning required to establish the park provided important opportunities for peacebuilding. It set a clear precedent for the involvement of local people in managing their own resources, and led to the central government recognizing and working with a local, democratic institution established to plan and manage Band-e-Amir. It empowered the local people, an ethnic group severely persecuted under previous regimes.