European Ranger Federation
EUROPEAN RANGER FEDERATION
Newsletter 02 - September 2018
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World Ranger Day in Switzerland

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Editorial

Welcome to the second ERF newsletter. In the President’s column, Frank Grütz presents the projects that the Executive Committee are currently working on for European Rangers.
Our highlight of the summer was World Ranger Day, celebrated around the world on 31st July. Thank you all for sharing your inspiring images and showing your support and commitment.
Our Vice-President, Roger Cole, has produced the much sought-after ERF badges and pins (see below). What a great way to display your membership to the ‘European family of rangers’.

And for more Ranger news, check out the articles on ERF website at the end of the newsletter. Happy reading!


The President's Column

Frank Grütz

Dear friends, Ranger colleagues and members,
As your ERF board, step-by-step we are getting into routine with our work and duties. So we are very happy to present our 2nd ERF Newsletter 2018 to you – for your info and networking.
And what about “being happy” - some days ago the IRF EO Louise Reynolds told me that the participation and events to celebrate World Ranger Day 2018 all over the globe really was huge and far more than what we expected! Thanks to all of you who helped in the planning, organizing, fundraising, hosting and communicating of this year´s World Ranger Day with passion and dedication. But also on WRD we commemorate our Ranger colleagues and friends who with dedication and passion lost their lives in their brave fight to protect wildlife. They will never be forgotten – they will live on in our hearts for ever!

Georgia
WRD in Georgia

I think you all agree that there are far too many Rangers that are killed in the line of duty every year. Often such bad things happen because of lack of adequate training. So during the last months our Training Officer Habba circulated a questionnaire about your associations and the organization of the Rangers in your countries, also to find out your training needs. Actually we are working towards a Ranger Training Standard and therefore we are in contact with various NGOs in the field of training. Several countries and associations sent us requests for ranger training - this is a sign that there really is the need for high-quality training.

RC
Ranger training in Kenya by Ranger Campus (NL)

What is it that makes Ranger work successful? High-quality training of course! But also networking, exchange of knowledge and the offer of expertise. During the last months our Project Officer Niki spent a lot of time to bring together ranger associations from different countries to share in a Twinning-Agreement and to support the establishment or re-activation of ranger associations in Europe. But also beyond the borders of the European Union! Last weekend I returned from a quick visit to Ukraine where I participated in a meeting with representatives of the Carpathian National Nature Park CNNP, representatives from local communities, NGOs, tourism and guest-houses. The meeting was about supporting the CNNP and the region through a German-Ukrainian project for nature protection and regional development with the financial support of a German bank. Until now there has been no Ranger Service in the CNNP. At the end of the meeting I held a presentation about wildlife protection, the duties of Rangers and the possibilities how IRF and ERF could support establishing a Ranger Service in the CNNP. Afterwards we held a second meeting in the office of the Vice-Director of the CNNP. In October a Ukrainian delegation will visit the Bavarian Forest in Germany. After this visit we will work towards establishing an EU-funded project to establish a Ranger system in CNNP as a kind of pilot-project for all of the 46 National Parks in Ukraine. We´ll see how this goes…

Ukraine
Agricultural landscape in Ukraine

In addition to all of this, our Secretary Emmanuel and Niki have worked together to create the ERF website homepage which is another big challenge as we all work voluntarily.
And of course our Treasurer Mirva always keeps a watchful eye on our ERF bank account.
Finally, not forgetting our Vice-President Roger, who takes care not only for our badges and pins, cooperation and networking possibilities, but also strongly supports me and the board in all kinds of work with his vast amount of experience, advice and high spirits.
A heartfelt thanks to all of you for “pulling the same rope” with us!

But now – enjoy our ERF newsletter 2-2018 and take care!

Yours

Frank


World Ranger Day celebrations around Europe

There were World Ranger Day 2018 celebrations around Europe by all current ERF members as well as in countries aspiring to become members. Some were large national celebratory events such as those in Albania and Georgia. Others were more local events open to members of the public, whilst other rangers celebrated at an individual level or with one or two colleagues. It was great to see such excellent participation by the European ranger family.

More pictures


ERF/IRF Badges and Pins

Contact Roger Cole if you require supplies of either the ERF or the (new) IRF badges/pins.
ERF badge ERF pin
English badge French badge Spanish badge
French pin Spanish pin

Details and official order forms


Recent news

image News from the Portuguese Ranger Association

The APGVN – Portuguese Ranger Association managed to recruit 57 new Park Rangers in the last two years. The APGVN is very concerned about the lack of professional training for the rangers…

image The Ranger Association of Vojvodina becomes a member of the IRF

The application for IRF Provisional membership of the Ranger Association of Vojvodina in Serbia has been approved by the IRF. The European Ranger Federation board would like to welcome the…

image Meeting of Twinning partners in Albania

In July ERF Project Officer and Swiss Ranger Niki met Albanian Rangers in Tomorri NP, Karavasta NP and on WRD and Albanian Rangers national Meeting in Tirana. A good example…

image World Ranger Day 2018 – A success!

Message from Louise Reynolds, Executive Officer of the International Ranger Federation World Ranger Day 2018 was a HUGE success in so many ways. We saw many more events across the…

image Working meetings on nature protection and Ranger system in Carpathian National Nature Park CNNP

Following an invitation of the Carpathian National Nature Park, Frank Grütz, President of the European Ranger Federation and European Representative of the International Ranger Federation, attended two working meetings on…

image A new ranger association in Austria

The association in Austria is founded under the name "Österreichs Nationalparkranger". The aim is to inform about other ranger association and to communicate about nationalpark relevant information. The next step…

image Slovak Ranger Association Annual Meeting 20th – 22nd of April

Natalia Burianova represented the ERF at the annual meeting of the Slovak Ranger Association, which took place in the Cerova Vrchovina PLA (Protected Landscape Area) The meeting was attended by…

image Annual Meeting of the Ranger Service of the Republic of Croatia

The 18th Annual Meeting of the Ranger Service of the Republic of Croatia took place in Paklenica NP from 19th to 20th April 2018. The meeting was well attended by…


Upcoming events

image EUROPARC Conference 2018 , Cairngorms National Park, Scotland

EUROPARC Conference 2018 “European Parks: Inspired by the Next Generation” 18-21 September 2018, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland More information here

image SCRA Ranger Rendezvous

The 2018 Ranger Rendezvous will take place on 25/27 September at Netherurd House, near West Linton, in the Scottish Borders. There will be a range of talks and workshops covering the…

image Czech Ranger Association Annual Meeting

21th National ranger meeting Celebration of the Czech Ranger Association 20th anniversary Czech Ranger Association Annual General Meeting - 12/14 October

image Journées d’échanges techniques des Gardes

Annual meeting of the French Ranger Association, workshop and field trip. 26-28 October 2018 – Parc naturel Régional Scarpe-Escaut

CMA Annual Conference

CMA Annual Conference 20/21 November Lee Valley Regional Park; Essex. Theme Community Engagement in Countryside and Urban Greenspace Workshops / Activities / Market Place/Field visits

image XXII Portuguese Rangers National Meeting 2019 – Terceira Island – Açores

The XXII Portuguese Rangers Nacional Meeting will take place in Açores - at Terceira Island - from 30th of January of 2019 to the 3rd of February of 2019 contact:…

image From Rangers4Rangers – Heritage Interpretation Workshop in Switzerland

Two days before Swiss Annual Meeting 2019 there will be a two-days heritage interpretation Workshop in english at Uster near Zurich-Switzerland. From Rangers for Rangers. All Rangers are invited to…

Call for contributions: Do you have any reports, events or news to share?
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