The authors of this paper intend to help clarify understanding of trans-boundary natural resource management (TBNRM) in southern Africa. This paper focuses specifically on: a description of specific initiative in the region; an evaluation of the success of the initiative in improving management and conservation of resources; an evaluation of the success of the initiative in benefiting local communities and other stakeholders. The paper presents a typology of TBNRM initiatives. It describes these and some examples of their implementation. Each example is described in terms of its objectives, strategies and impacts. The paper ends with a discussion of general lessons from TBNRM experience and findings from the examples described.