What is a Sister Park?The purpose of a sister park relationship is to promote international cooperation for the mutual benefit of the partnered parks, provide a forum for collaboration about shared challenges, enrich the experience and training of park personnel through international exchanges, and share the cultural and social values of both countries. Several National Park Service sites have established "sister park" relationships with national parks in other countries. The arrangement furthers international cooperation between two countries and facilitates collaboration related to the management of these cherished, protected places. Glacier's Sister ParksGlacier National Park has two sister parks: Gorkhi-Terelj National Park in Mongolia and Killarney National Park in Ireland. As the world’s first international peace park with Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, Glacier National Park has a proud history of working with partners beyond its borders to exchange best practices and to learn from one another. Gorkhi-Terelj National ParkGorkhi-Terelj National Park is located in Mongolia. The park is in northeast Mongolia, approximately 37 Km from Ulaanbaatar, the nation's capital. Mongolia and Montana are located at the same latitude and have similar landforms, ecosystems, and wildlife. These similarities provide a unique platform for international cooperation and information sharing. The relationship with Gorkhi-Terelj allows both parks to exchange expertise and to collaborate on a variety of projects, including education and youth programs, GIS mapping and trail development, threatened species protection, and the development of adaptive strategies in response to climate change.About Gorkhi-Terelj National ParkGlacier National Park has had a sister park agreement with the Khan Khentii Protected Area in Mongolia since 2004. The Khan Khentii Protected Area was divided into two parts in 2013–Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and Khan Khentee Strictly Protected Area. Gorkhi-Terelj is located in northeast Mongolia and was established in 1993. It was also featured in 2006 as a location in The Amazing Race, a reality television competition. In 2015, Glacier's sister park agreement was updated from the Khan Khentii Protected Area agreement to a new agreement with Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Gorkhi-Terelj National Park is over 700,000 acres (2,833 km2) and includes mountains, forest, and valleys. The tallest peak is over 8,000 feet (2,438 m) while the lowest valley is roughly 4,500 feet (1,372 m). The park has over 50 mammals (including bears and moose), 250 species of birds, and 20 species of fish. Additionally the park holds over 300 species of plants and has a rich diversity of cultural sites. Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and Glacier National Park 
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Killarney National ParkKillarney National Park is located near Killarney, a town in County Kerry, Ireland. Killarney National Park and Glacier National Park have common issues including heavy visitation, controlling exotic and invasive species, outreach with local communities, ecological monitoring, and partnership agreements. The sister park relationship allows them to share best practices through the exchange of technical and professional knowledge, data, technology, training, and site visits. About Killarney National ParkKillarney National Park is one of Ireland’s most extensive and important contiguous areas of natural habitat. The history of the park is also closely connected with various heritage sites such as Killarney House and Gardens, Kenmare House, and Knockreer House. Created in 1932, the park has a diverse range of species and was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1981. In 2021, Killarney and Glacier National Park signed a sister park agreement to further international cooperation between the two countries and facilitate collaboration related to the management of both cherished, protected places. Killarney National Park is 25,425 acres (102.89 km2) with a diverse ecosystem including mountains, lakes, woodlands, bogs, moors, parks, and gardens. The highest point within the park is 2,762 ft (842 m) and the lowest point is 72 ft (22 m). This range of altitudes welcomes a variety of flowers and plants to thrive, some of which are unique to Ireland. The park is home to many species of animals that are of international importance, some of which are not only unique to Ireland, but the park itself. Killarney National Park and Glacier National Park 
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The Sister Park Initiative
Learn more about the NPS Sister Park Initiative and how national parks around the world are all ultimately linked together. 
Our Partners
We can't do it alone. Find out how to connect with our partner organizations. 
Research Learning Center
Research Learning Centers have been developed to promote research and scientific understanding in our national parks. |
Last updated: July 18, 2024