Press release | 25 7月, 2010

31st July - Celebrate the rangers

World Rangers Day - a day to commemorate the many Rangers killed or injured in the line of duty.


 

We can do nothing to bring the fallen Rangers back, but we can honour their memory and ensure their sacrifice is never forgotten.

World Ranger Day is observed on the 31st of July each year.

It is also the day to celebrate Rangers and the work they do to protect the world’s natural and cultural treasures.

World Ranger Day is promoted by the 54 member associations of the International Ranger Federation (IRF), by our partner the Thin Green Line Foundation, and by individuals who support the work of Rangers and the IRF.

The first World Ranger Day was observed in 2007 on the 15th anniversary of the founding of the IRF.

You can celebrate World Ranger Day in a number of ways:

  • Light a candle and observe a minute’s silence to think about those Rangers who have died in the line of duty
  • Plant a tree as a living tribute to Rangers around the world
  • Host a screening of the international Ranger documentary The Thin Green Line
  • Take the time to talk with park visitors and partners about the work of Rangers around the world
  • Host a special public event in or near your park dedicated to the work of Rangers in your particular area and highlight the role they share with Rangers around the world • Meet with your local communities, partners, and support groups to talk about the work of the IRF and how they can help support Rangers and protected areas
  • Visit a school – engage young people in the future of world parks, biodiversity, and conservation
  • Invite a Ranger from another park or country to join you and your co-workers for a week in your park, encompassing the 31st of July
  • Rangers may wish to meet with fellow park staff and/or your boss to discuss World Ranger Day and the role of Rangers, including the work of the IRF
  • Seek partners and donors interested in supporting and sustaining the work of your protected area and the IRF
  • Write an article for your local newspaper about Rangers and the significance of World Ranger Day
  • Present an award to a Ranger in your park or ranger association who has made a special contribution to the management of protected areas, their association or the IRF
  • Lobby your state or national government to establish a National Ranger Day
  • Have fun! Celebrate your role in protecting the world’s natural and cultural treasures

How will others celebrate World Ranger Day?

  • The Thin Green Line Foundation together with the Victorian Rangers Association will host a fund-raising dinner
  • The Protected Area Workers Association of New South Wales will be profiling rangers in the local media and on their website
  • The Countryside Management Association of England and Wales is publishing the next edition of their magazine RANGER in time for World Ranger Day
  • Shropshire Council in the UK have organised a display on the work of Rangers around the world
  • Exmoor National Park in the UK have invited people to join them at Timberscombe Hill Fort to learn how Iron Age people lived, followed by a BBQ and an evening of stargazing