News

A message from IRF President Sean Willmore on the meeting this week with HRHs Princes Charles and William:

Hi all,

It was an honour to be asked to be part of the wonderful initiative on Illegal Wildilfe Trade at St James Palace, and it was great that the representation of the Worlds Rangers was sort out by Prince Charles’ team.

Princes Charles and William delivered an energetic and compelling case and they have my own, and I dare say the World’s Rangers, full support going forward.

I am extremely grateful for our inclusion, and the opportunity to represent rangers and their families, and being asked to help with the agenda for the upcoming illegal wildlife forum for Heads of State. I found out we were invited following the CITES conference in Bangkok, after the UK representatives, and that of the Princes’ Charities, heard of our intervention and side events there.

I met with both Prince Charles and Prince William in ‘one on one’ sessions. I was also very humbled and grateful for Prince William’s and Prince Charles’ genuine interest, questions, and ideas in supporting the plight of our rangers and their families as a conservation imperative.

Prince William agreed that our work mirrors the three pillars of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry; these being Military (anti-poaching), Children (support of the orphans and widows of rangers), and of course Conservation, and that he was interested in continuing the conversation and following up on their potential support for Rangers. I have already started this with their aides.

Prince Charles asked about what was required to give the widows and children of the 1000 rangers killed, support and dignity and he said that he was interested in pursuing it given that it’s relatively achievable ($2 million). I also presented him with a copy of The Thin Green Line film to which he gratefully accepted.

I have already had follow-up conversations with their Royal Highnesses and their teams.

I will be here in London until June 1st and I am happy to avail myself should they wish to further discuss this in person, and in progressing the discussion for the Heads of State Agenda for later in the year, from our frontline perspective.

I will also be catching up with the UK rangers and having a meeting with Jane Goodall. I’ve also met with Born Free to get tax deduction status for TGLF in the UK.

We will be doing a big media release shortly with some great photos of Prince William holding a baby TGLF t-shirt and the caption “A Junior Ranger in the Ranks”

We are hopeful this photo will be used worldwide.

I’ll then be heading to Uganda, Kenya and maybe DRC to talk about ranger associations and priorities there.

Meanwhile the African Indigenous Exchange is going beautifully according to Peter Cleary who is guiding them through Kakadu National Park. They are now in Darwin..

Photos and more coming soon.

Best to you all.
Sean Willmore
President
International Ranger Federation

Find past issues of The Thin Green Line and Guardaparque from the link on the right column of this page.

Tengo  el  gran  privilegio  hoy  de  dirigirme  a  usted  como  nuevo  presidente  de  la Federación Internacional de Guardaparques. Acabo de regresar de África después del
Séptimo Congreso Mundial de Guardaparques en Arusha, Tanzania, que fue seguido por el trabajo futuro sobre la lucha contra la caza furtiva y diferentes reuniones, soy
plenamente  consciente  de  las  responsabilidades  y  desafíos  que  enfrenta  el  nuevo
Comité Ejecutivo de FIG, todos los miembros de la familia FIG / Guardaparques, y la
profesión de la Conservación.

IRF presidents letter_10-12-2012_espanol  (PDF)

Several participants of the 7^th World Ranger Congress have developed a draft Arusha Declaration 2012 (English version – versión Español).  IRF member associations are being invited to provide comments on this draft.  All comments will be reviewed and a final declaration developed for distribution in March – April 2013. Please send your comments or any questions to secretary@internationalrangers.org before 28^th February 2013.

Dear IRF members, partners and affiliates,

I have the great privilege today of writing to you as the new President of the International Ranger Federation. Having just returned from Africa after the 7th World Rangers Congress in Arusha, Tanzania, which was followed by further work on anti‐poaching and meetings, I am acutely aware of both the responsibilities and challenges facing the new IRF Executive Committee, the entire membership of the IRF/ Ranger family, and the Conservation profession.

Before I touch on some of these issues, I would firstly like to thank the outgoing IRF IEC for their dedication and commitment to the IRF and the rangers of the world. We have been, and will continue to be, a diverse organisation carrying wide‐ranging priorities. Through all of this the level of effort and commitment by all involved in the previous IRF IEC is unquestionable. Particular thanks go to outgoing President Deanne Adams who has also sat as a Director of The Thin Green Line Foundation during her tenure. My sincere thanks also go to outgoing IEC members Elaine Thomas, Joao Correia, Ana Carola Vaca Salazar and Andre Botha. Additionally a big thankyou to the 7th WRC organisers, Wayne Lotter, Krissie Clark, Escape Tanzania’s Linda and Boris, and the entire PAMS foundation team and volunteers who created an event that allowed for much inspiration, motivation, and old friendships reinvigorated and new ones formed.

The new IEC will be working very hard to build on the efforts of our predecessors, and to take the IRF to the next level for all Rangers.

It is a great personal honour to be entrusted with the Presidency of the International Rangers Federation, one which carries much responsibility to ensure meaningful progress for the IRF and for our Rangers on the ground. Along with our Vice President Wayne Lotter, Secretary Tegan Burton, Treasurer Meg Weesner and our great team of enthusiastic regional representatives, I am ready for the challenges and exciting opportunities that exist for the IRF.

As we finish the 7th World Rangers Congress and work hard with ANPR for the 8th in the USA in 2016, it is what we, as an entire IRF, do in between congresses that is most important.

Along with our new IEC, I will be aiming to:
• Create a financially sustainable IRF through innovative projects and partnerships;
• Increase the number of active Ranger associations affiliated with the IRF, particularly from less represented areas such as Asia, Africa and the Middle East;
• Increase the capacity and involvement of existing Ranger Associations particularly in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa, but also across the board;
• Ensure meaningful action and representation for Rangers on the ground; and
• Increase the networking and cooperative relationships between rangers, and ranger
associations, through Rangers without Borders, and Rangers working for Rangers.

Already since the conclusion of the 7th WRC, using the energy and enthusiasm generated, there have been great ideas and actions occurring by many who attended.
As the new IRF President, and building on work already started by Vice President Wayne Lotter, I have met with senior management at the Kenyan Wildlife Service to discuss establishing their Ranger Association; worked with Community Maasai Rangers near Amboseli in Kenya, who also hope to join the IRF; worked on an international approach to combating poaching, a direction and project which we hope will involve the entire IRF; and I have spoken with Dr Jane Goodall who is very keen on being involved in bringing more supporters to the table.

I am very excited by the potential the IRF has to make a meaningful difference for our Ranger profession and for conservation as a whole. This potential though can only be realised by working to a strong vision and with the hard work of the entire IRF membership, not just the IEC alone. We as rangers are our own best resource. A resource we must use. With our diverse skills, networks and standing in the international conservation world we can make giant leaps. Not only can we achieve much ‐ we simply must! If you think you’re too small to make a difference – you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito!

Thank you for the honour of representing you as President over the next term. Not only do I hope to achieve much with you and the new IEC, I will give everything I have to ensure we have made significant progress as we “mosey on in” to Colorado for the next World Ranger Congress in 2016.

Please feel free to contact me or any other member of the IEC at any time with your ideas, thoughts and projects. I look forward to working with you all.

Stay safe, and keep up your great work for conservation, in the most inspiring and meaningful professions the world has to offer.

Yours Sincerely,
Sean Willmore
President
International Rangers Federation http://internationalrangers.org/
Email: president@interntnationalrangers.org

Osvaldo Barassi Gajardo, a ranger with roots in Chile and now advocating for rangers in Brazil, was awarded the President’s Award at 7th World Ranger Congress in November 2012.

“Osvaldo has been an outstanding contributor to IRF over the past 3 years,” said President Deanne Adams at the award ceremony. “His passion for rangers and conservation shows in all the actions he takes for IRF. He fully understands the value of IRF to conservation and is a strong advocate for rangers and for IRF.”

In particular Osvaldo was given the President’s Award for:

• Leading the Spanish Translation Team as they translated for IRF:
  • Guardaparque newsletter published every 2 months – English and Spanish versions (6 issues a year)
  • Thin Green Line newsletter published every 3 months – English and Spanish versions (4 issues a year)
  • IRF website and Facebook
  • IRF internal correspondence to the IEC and to IRF Members
  • IRF external correspondence
• Establishing a website and Facebook for Spanish speaking rangers
• Providing the primary actions that lead to the establishment of a new ranger association in Brazil – that association joined IRF during the Congress
• Being the IRF representative in our partnership with ACT Brazil (ECAM) to improve the recognition of the profession of park guards in Brazil and to expand training to those park guards.
• Support of the 7th World Ranger Congress including translations of materials (“Osvaldo is a star,” said Congress co-chair Krissie Clark.)

“Osvaldo has so much energy and is always positive with the big smile,” said President Adams at the end of the ceremony.  “If you need something done, ask Osvaldo and it is accomplished.”

Another report on the WRC, including information on Rangers Without Borders.

Visit our 2012 WRC page for a summary of the events from the Organising Committee and a photo gallery – where you can upload your own photos to add to it!

A letter to rangers from the Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas:

Dear participants in the World Ranger Congress and organizations involved such as International Ranger Federation and Thin Green Line Foundation:

It is a great honour for me to through your leadership to address all those assembled in Arusha, Tanzania in this very relevant event.

An international group of experts met today at the Zoological Society of London to discuss protected area strategies. The overwhelming evidence suggests that management effectiveness is the single most important factor in conservation success within protected areas. And management effectiveness relies primarily on rangers, who are in the front line of protection/conservation. At tonight’s dinner, participants at the meeting joined with me in sending a message of support to the International Rangers’ Federation conference. The collaborative programme between IRF and WCPA, agreed at the Healthy Parks Healthy People conference in Australia in 2010 and reinforced at the World Conservation Congress in Korea in 2012, provides a joint platform which we regard as extremely important.

We also remembered fellow rangers who have died in the line of duty safeguarding the precious natural capital that belongs to all generations. Without rangers/field conservationists/wardens/guardaparques, or whatever designation we choose, protected areas would never have risen to be considered the “best” tool for nature conservation.

I have pledged to make conservationists on the ground such as yourselves, and increasingly local an indigenous communities who are actively participating in protected areas through the recognition of a broad range of governance types, the center of our capacity building efforts at the World Commission on Protected Areas.

Each one of you is a respected leader in her or his own right wherever you are working passionately for conservation.

In sending you our very best wishes personally and in representation of WCPA, I look forward to continued dialogue and collaboration for nature and people.

Ernesto C. Enkerlin-Hoeflich

Chair, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas

Two staff from the West Australian Department of Environment and Conservation were critically injured on October 12 after being trapped in their truck while undertaking wildfire suppression in a nature reserve.

Our Facebook page will have all the latest updates as to their condition.

Elisângela Sales Dos Santos, a twenty-seven year old from Brazil, was last night awarded the 2012 IRF – IUCN/WCPA International Young Conservationist of the Year Award.

The award was presented in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the training of indigenous park guards in the Brazilian Amazon, and for the work she has done to improve the recognition of the profession of park guards in Brazil.

It was officially presented at the WCPA meeting held during the IUCN World Conservation Congress.

The award was sponsored by Parks Victoria and the George Wright Society.

More information here.

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