The Sangha River Tri-National Protected Area (STN) was created in the course of the intensified co-operation aiming at preserving the second largest rain forest area of the earth as an initiative of the Central African Forest Comission (COMIFAC). Apart from the protected area called Réserve Spéciale de Forêt Dense de Dzanga Sangha it consists of the park Dzanga Ndoki in the Central African Republic, of the park Nouabalé Ndoki in the Congo and the park Lobéké in Cameroon.

The Sangha-River, the main watercourse running right through the center of the protected area complex, has been the eponym of the latter. The protected areas constitute about 2.8 millions ha. Since they are located away from larger localities and traffic routes, they have been spared by intensive economic uses for a long time. Thus, a unique natural landscape comprising a high density of large mammals has been preserved. Conjoint conservation efforts of the countries involved is aimed at providing protection of such animal species which are dependent on extensive habitats: Elephant, Gorilla, Forest Buffalo and Bongo Antelope, just to name some of them. The first tri-national institutions have been established in order to plan and implement common activities concerning anti-poaching, research and the promotion of tourism.
 

Meetings of the three park-administrations as well as the prefects of the three countries are organized in regular intervals.