ERF Newsletter September 25

Dear European rangers,

this time, my letter to you has both an extremely positive and a rather sad side. The entire September was filled with preparations for the 6th European Ranger Congress (ERC), where we and our congress partners, the Romanian Ranger Association (RRA) and the Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC), will welcome more than 260 rangers and conservationists from all over Europe and beyond. All our anticipation is focused on its start next Monday to reunite with friends and add new ones to our ranger family!

On a sad note, this is my last newsletter to you as ERF President. The ERC includes the election of the ERF Board, which I am not standing for re-election due to personal reasons. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks for your trust in me as President and, above all, to my Board colleagues for their outstanding work over the past years. With tireless dedication and great commitment, mostly voluntary, you have advanced the profession of ranger and its status in Europe significantly.

The 6th ERC will now be the starting point for the ERF's strategy until 2030 to empower our continent's rangers to tackle one of their most important challenges: Building a Bridge between Local Communities and Nature Conservation. Because this is not just the theme of our congress. It is the central prerequisite for the global 30x30 target to be achieved. Without local acceptance, no protected area will be effective in the long term. Who else than rangers – the ones on-site – is better suited to integrate the population?

At the ERC, participants will not only experience practical examples to the congress theme in five exciting fieldtrips to the Făgăraș Mountains and Piatra Craiului National Park (click photo above). Rangers will also discuss how to build bridges even more effectively in a large variety of workshops, inspired by keynotes from outstanding initiatives. And, of course, in personal exchanges: at one of the themed cafés, during breaks and whenever opportunities arise for professional exchange.

The outcomes of the Congress will form the basis for our future work on training and networking rangers internationally. To this end, we have thoroughly examined current developments and challenges for rangers to integrate them into our Congress programme and subsequent strategy until 2030. One example is firefighting – a challenge that tragically resulted in the deaths of several rangers in Europe this year.

To help the families of fallen rangers like them, our ERF treasurer and the ranger aid charity Thin Green Line Foundation have agreed on a joint fundraising initiative, which we ask you to support generously! Another example of how we are stronger together is the advanced drone course for rangers in Brazil, which has emerged from our new collaboration with the Latin American Ranger Federation. Plus: a Scottish ranger donated to enable a ranger without means to travel to the ERC – rangers for rangers.

In addition, many more rangers bought our ERC Coin and connected it with donating for rangers in need. Plus: Thin Green Line Foundation, Vulture Conservation Foundation, National Forestry Administration Romsilva, Planning Office OPUS, Erlebnis Akademie and our long-standing supporter, the Environmental Foundation Greenpeace, have supported us generously to stage the 6th ERC and welcome a diverse group of participants. Not to mention the fantastic organisational and financial support provided by our conference partners FCC and RRA. A huge thank you to all of our supporters!

With deep gratitude for the past years and profound confidence in the future of ERF

Urs Reif, President of the ERF