For four days last week, more than 450 rangers from around the world and representatives of international NGOs promoting ranger work discussed rangers’ role in halting the biodiversity crisis and other important ranger issues at the 10th World Ranger Congress. In more than 20 workshops and numerous plenary lectures with top-class speakers from international nature conservation and ranger organisations, the participants received comprehensive input at the conference venue in Hyères, France.
The final declaration of the congress organised by the International Ranger Federation (IRF) and Gardes Nature de France (GNF) shows how well this input was invested: It contains the rangers‘ current demands and concrete proposals for measures to protect biodiversity and will be presented at the next UN Biodiversity Conference COP16, which starts next week in Cali, Colombia, to make the rangers’ voices heard. And it will also influence subsequent COPs, such as COP12, which will address environmental crime from today in Vienna: IRF and GNF presidents Chris Galliers and Carole D’Antuoni are present there right now to raise awareness of rangers’ contribution to the conference’s topic.
Hyères declaration: Road map to anchor the ranger profession at top level of conservation policy
The Hyères Ranger Declaration marks the road-map for the International Ranger Federation and the international regional ranger organisations until the next World Ranger Congress in Argentina in 2027. Its most important points: Advocating for better funding, training and support for rangers, as well as promoting international co-operation and integrating the recommendations of the congress into wider conservation efforts. In particular, to achieve one of the global goals: to protect at least 30 percent of the world’s terrestrial, inland, coastal and marine areas by 2030.
Workshops, also offered by ERF, aimed to better equip rangers for their challenges
This goal cannot be achieved without the work of the rangers. Nevertheless, there is still a shortage of more than one million rangers worldwide to realise them in the field. The aim of the numerous workshops and plenary presentations at the congress thus was to better equip rangers for their challenges. We at ERF also contributed to this with workshops on fundraising and image, led by our treasurer Michael Großmann and press officer Wiebke Bomas, as well as on communication work and networking for rangers, led by Michael Großmann among other specialists.
Another central point of the World Ranger Congress was the Annual General Meeting, including the report of the previous IRF Board of Directors on their work for the world’s rangers. And, of course, the elections of the new IRF Board, which will continue this work in the spirit of the Hyères Declaration.
Notorious ranger spirit shapes the congress’ soul with fundraising from rangers for rangers
Apart from these major and important goals, the congress was characterised by the infamous ranger spirit: whether at the flag parade, the potlatch dinner, the excursions to eight protected areas and of course during the all-important socialising and exchange of ideas with old and new friends, talking shop on ranger topics and swapping badges for ranger uniforms from all corners of the world.
And of course, the Ranger Coin was not to be missed: a fundraising initiative for Rangers in need by Ranger Mario Marschler, who gave our ERF Administrative Officer Lars Scharfe an amount of coins to collect donations for the ranger aid organization Thin Green Line Foundation through their sale at the congress. The result was an incredible 400 euros from the sale to participants of Australia, USA, Scotland, South Korea, France, Mongolia, South Africa, UK and Germany – a huge thanks to all who donated from ranger to ranger!
Regional meeting of European Rangers: a new Twinning Partnership and greetings from Russia
A special highlight for us and for many of the European participants was our regional meeting, where we presented the work of the European Ranger Federation for Europe’s rangers over the past years. We were able to personally thank Carole as President and the other volunteers from Gardes Nature de France for the enormous task of organizing the World Ranger Congress together with IRF in our region.
In addition, we celebrated a new twinning partnership between the rangers of Moldova and Romania. We are particularly pleased about this partnership, as the ranger movement in Moldova, represented at the congress by Maria Gurscaia, is only just taking shape and deserves the support of us all.
And, a wonderful surprise for everyone, the participating rangers from Slovakia and the Czech Republic, who could join thanks to our Ranger Leaf initiative, brought a special message: after a long silence due to the circumstances, the Russian rangers sent a video to the European rangers with warm and peace-wishing greetings. We hope to be able to welcome them in person again soon!
Save the Date: European Ranger Congress planned for October 2025!
For example, at the European Ranger Congress in Romania next year! We are already deep in the planning stages with our partners, the Romanian Ranger Association and the Foundation Conservation Carpathia. It is expected to take place in the Brașov region between October 6 and 10, 2025. We are particularly looking forward to meeting as many of you and all our members and countries there again!
Meanwhile, we have asked some European Rangers at the World Ranger Congress to share their impressions for all European Rangers who could not be there this time. Here is the result: