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Dear European rangers,
in a few minutes we will pause for 2 minutes at noon (my local time) to remember the rangers who have died in the line of duty. Before today's World Ranger Day, we wanted to know from you: What does this day mean to you personally? Which ranger topics are currently in the foreground for you, how do you spend this special day and what connects you with the worldwide ranger family?
You sent us many exciting answers and great photos, thank you very much! There were so many that we made a World Ranger Day countdown from it. You can see the results on Instagram and our other Social Media channels. And we have also collected all the photos with an overview of your quotes on our website.
Of course, today, 31 July, is about so much more than a fleeting post. Your statements have shown it: there is still a lack of equipment worldwide, in terms of personnel, financially, but also ideally, so that rangers can do their work efficiently and without endangering their own lives. The International Ranger Federation counted 148 rangers who died in the line of duty this year – 148 too many. Yet the world needs rangers more urgently than ever. They are the key workers we need to implement global conservation strategies out in the field. In short: to save our planet.
But who are these rangers, what drives them, what do they burn for? Our ranger portraits give a little insight into the rangers' personal view of what they do. And in our interview series on our member countries, this time the Icelandic rangers give a deeper insight into the issues, challenges and solutions of the island nation's rangers.
A study shows how much rangers will still be needed in Europe. We are still miles away from the goal of putting 30 percent of our area under protection, let alone 10 percent under strict protection. And: A particularly enjoyable read on an example of how strong ranger work can be when we join forces and cooperate internationally is the report by Israel's ranger Ori Linial on a strike against illegal wildlife trade.
In the meantime, we have reorganised ourselves internally on the ERF Board: It is with great regret that we have taken leave of Maia Tsignadze as Project Officer for her future projects, whom we would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts for her work. Adam J. Norton Turner, whom many of you already know through joint projects and meetings, is taking over and we are convinced he will use his new position for the best of the rangers.
In this sense: We rangers stand together. We stand with the world's rangers.
Happy World Ranger Day to you all!
Urs Reif, President of the ERF
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The entire ERF Board wishes all rangers everywhere a Happy Ranger Day! Check out our greetings from the Board, from rangers of El Salvador, Africa, Georgia and watch the WRD countdown again, where we let ranger voices from Europe and the world have their say on social media.
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Rangers around the world also lost their lives in the line of duty last year: 148 rangers' lives were lost between June 2022 and May 2023. Learn more about the background, the theme '30 by 30‘ that IRF and TGLF set for this year's World Ranger Day and how you can stand with the world's rangers.
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Read the latest in our series of interviews with ERF's national associations to find out how Iceland's rangers lose a lot of ranger knowledge due to seasonal contracts and limited opportunities for development, how they look after Iceland‘s fragile bio- and geodiversity and why the fact that most rangers are female unfortunately does not have a too encouraging background.
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It is a true story of wildlife crime, rangers and conservationists working together across thousands of kilometres and a happy end: Ori Linial, ranger from Israel, reports how his team cooperated over thousands of kilometres with African colleagues to save a lion cub from illegal wildlife trade. On this, IRF President Chris Galliers classifies the role of rangers against the illegal wildlife trade.
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Where do we stand in Europe on the way to 10 percent strictly protected and 30 percent protected areas by 2030? This is exactly what the EU has set as a goal with its biodiversity strategy. Read about a study that shows how far away European countries still are from this goal and why rangers play a particularly important role as mediators between people and nature.
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Is volunteering also in your nature?
This year, we would like to pay special tribute to the tireless and dedicated service provided across protected areas day after day: With a photo competition on volunteering in nature conservation for all volunteer rangers in our member organisations.
- We collect your photo entries until October 13 and publish them regularly in advance on our channels.
- After that, it will be up to the jury to select the three winners.
- Award ceremony will take place in an extra online session on December 5, 2023, the international Volunteer Day.
Please check out all the details for participation, jury and prices here or participate directly:
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Global Ranger Congress
The Portuguese Association of Nature Guards will host a Ranger Congress on "Oceans, Climate Change and Biodiversity"*
- At Teatro Faialense in the city of Horta in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores
- From 9 to 12 October 2023
- With the goal to find solutions for mitigating environmental problems and for the recognition of the ranger profession and promotion of international exchange between Ranger Associations to share experiences and professional techniques
For further questions please contact info@globalrangercongress.com
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*Dear European Rangers, please don't confuse this congress with the upcoming IRF World Ranger Congress which will be hosted in France in 2024. Neither ERF nor IRF is directly connceted with the Global Ranger Congress in Portugal. Nonetheless we appreciate rangers meeting on international level and advertise this congress as well as other national congresses. Please keep yourself updated on program and status of planning/realisation before bying tickets and think of insurance for travel costs as planning big events since Covid19 remains precarious.
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This newsletter didn't reach you directly by mail? Register now to be informed conveniently in time about news, trainings, interviews and reports for and about Europe's rangers – and share the registration link with your fellow rangers.
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