Our planet is facing increasing challenges: climate change, biodiversity loss, pandemics, poverty, and many other problems closely linked to a deteriorating environment. Meanwhile, one of our most important assets, rangers working in protected and conserved areas responsible for managing large tracts of the planet's lands and waters, are often underutilized, underrecognized and underequipped. 

This paper, led by WCPA in partnership with IUCN member organizations and the Global Environment Facility, outlines the need for global leaders across multiple sectors to recognize the profession of rangers as essential planetary health workers and to position rangers more effectively within global conservation and environmental policy mechanisms. It introduces the challenges facing rangers, the emerging diversity of roles within the ranger profession and the important contribution of rangers to conservation and sustainable development. 

The link to the article can be found here-   https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12955 

In recognition of World Ranger Day on 31st July, IUCN WCPA is proud to announce the WCPA International Ranger Awards during an online ceremony on 26th July 2023. Developed through a collaboration between the IUCN WCPA, IUCN-US, the International Ranger Federation, Re:wild, and Conservation Allies, these awards, created in 2020, aim to highlight and felicitate the extraordinary work that rangers do in protected and conserved areas worldwide. We hope you can join us! 

https://engage.iucn.org/event/iucn-wcpa-international-ranger-awards-2023