World Ranger Day is celebrated annually across the globe on 31st July to commemorate Rangers killed or injured in the line of duty and to celebrate the work Rangers do to protect the planet’s natural treasures and cultural heritage.
About Rangers:
i.World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) uses the term ‘ranger’ to refer to any professional involved in the protection and management of national parks and natural areas.
ii.Rangers, also known as Park Rangers, park wardens, forest rangers or forest guards are the unsung heroes of the conservation world.
World Ranger Day 2023 Theme
i.The 2023 World Ranger Day theme is ’30 by 30‘ based on the 2022 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15), where a Global Biodiversity Framework was agreed upon by world leaders and decision-makers.
ii.Target 3 aims to effectively conserve and manage at least 30 percent of the planet’s areas by 2030 (also known as the ’30 by 30′ target).
iii.It highlights the urgent need for increased conservation efforts to safeguard ecosystems and protect the planet’s biodiversity.
Background:
i.World Ranger Day is an initiative of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) promoted with its official charity, The Thin Green Line Foundation.
ii.IRF was established on 31 July 1992, in Peak National Park, United Kingdom (UK), to raise awareness of the contribution of rangers to conservation and support ranger organizations worldwide.
iii.The organisation IRF was the result of an agreement between the Countryside Management Association (CMA), the Scottish Countryside Rangers Association (SCRA) and the United States(US) Association of National Park Rangers (ANPR) that resulted in its formation.
iv.The day was first observed in 31st July 2007, in memory of eight rangers who tragically lost their lives while on duty in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Cong (DRC), and also to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the founding of the IRF.
International Ranger Awards:
i.The International Ranger Award aims to recognize all types of rangers including Indigenous, community, and volunteer rangers as well as those employed in protected and conserved areas.
ii.The award is hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas(WCPA), in collaboration with the IRF, Re:wild, Conservation Allies, Universal Ranger Support Alliance, and WWF Tigers Alive Initiative.
The 3rd International Ranger Awards 2023:
i.During the virtual award ceremony in 2023, a total of 9 awards were presented by the 2023 IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) International Ranger Awards to recognize the outstanding contributions of 5 individual rangers and 4 ranger teams.
ii.The winners come across from Bhutan, Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa and Ukraine.
iii.Each winner or winning team receives USD $10,000 to support the protected and conserved areas where they work, and a custom uniform patch to signify their achievement.
Click here for the list of winners of the 3rd International Ranger Awards
About International Ranger Federation (IRF):
President- Chris Galliers
Founded- 31st July 1992
