ERF Newsletter August 24

Dear European rangers,

This month has been a kind of all-Carpathian month for us. Not only did our Carpathian ranger training with a good dozen rangers from all over Europe just come to an end.

Our finance officer Michael Großmann also undertook a major trip, starting with the Junior Ranger Camp in Carpathian country Czech Republic and a lesson in nature interpretation, on to Carpathia neighbouring Moldova to support the establishment of the ranger profession there, and finally to the Romanian Carpathians as venue for our next European Ranger Congress in October 25 and for our training on coexistence mentioned above. While we will keep you posted on all ERC details in due course, you can gain impressions of our second edition of the training with Conservation Carpathia.

Wildlife-human coexistence and the Carpathians are also keywords that apply to a conservation pioneer: Rewilding Europe is letting nature take the lead – alongside several other landscapes across the continent – in the Carpathians, helping it here by reintroducing European bison. Some of you have already learnt about this in our March training in Romania. Our interview now shows how the initiative is driving nature restoration across Europe.

Two other members of our Executive Board are also currently preparing for a trip to Eastern Europe: Training Officer Borja Díaz and Project Officer Adam Turner will be accompanying our Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) training in Macedonia from the end of September. Just at the time when Carpathian countries celebrate Carpathian Day – take a look at our events to see how you can get involved!

Speaking of travelling: The new General Manager of the International Ranger Federation, Jon Churcher, is currently e-travelling the world's regional ranger organisations to learn about their needs and ideas on how to make rangers' voices heard in conservation policy and society. We spoke to him about his priorities in his new job.

Finally, we invite you to a digital journey to see our facelifted website. Check it out and tell us what you think! All feedback is welcome: press@europeanrangers.org

Closing once again in remembering the cruel fate of ERF Ranger Ohad Yahalomi, who has been held hostage for an unimaginable eleven months now
Urs Reif, President of the ERF

Coexistence needs acceptance of locals

All nature conservation work is nothing if there is no acceptance among local stakeholders. This kind of summarises the many in-depth insights gained by the participants of our ranger training in cooperation with the Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC) in Romania. Now that five intensive days of training around the Făgăraș Mountains have come to an end for the good dozen rangers from all over Europe, we take a first look back with some statements from participants and representatives of the training partners ERF and FCC.

Rewilding: Letting nature take the lead

Rewilding is about working with nature and moving towards a point where nature can sustain itself, says Amy Duthie of Rewilding Europe, a pioneering conservation initiative. This means learning from nature as well as engaging with the people who live in the communities where rewilding is practised. In our interview, she explains how Rewilding is winning people over to provide critical support for speeding up restoration of nature across the continent.

IRF General Manager focusses on regions

It's the regions where there are really good ideas and a good understanding of the context in which rangers work, stated Jon Churcher, the new General Manager of the International Ranger Federation, in his introductory talk with our Board as representative of the European region. Find out more about his newly created role, how he came to this position and what he will be focusing on to support and work with rangers worldwide to advance the ranger profession.

Events

Carpathian Day

As many as eight countries in our ERF region are Carpathian countries: Austria, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine and Serbia.

Celebrate Carpathian Day and this year's theme ‘Our identity lies in our heritage’ with us to promote awareness of the enormous natural and cultural treasures of the great Carpathian regions! 

How to do this? Check out the Carpathian Convention website.

Carpathian Day is a yearly celebration of diverse and common identities, landscapes, heritage and love for the Carpathian region that takes places on or around 26 September.

 

IRF World Ranger Congress

The 10th World Ranger Congress of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) will be hosted by Gardes Nature de France (GNF) on the theme "Empowering Rangers Globally to meet the 30 x 30 Challenge".

Check out the congress website for further information.

Please note: Maximum Capacity has been reached, registration is closed. The Annual General Meeting will be streamed.
 

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