Behind every protected forest, wetland, mountain, grassland, river and stretch of ocean are people caring for it.
They monitor wildlife and ecosystems. Restore habitats. Protect threatened species. Manage fires, safeguard cultural heritage, welcome visitors and work alongside communities.
They gather the knowledge that guides conservation decisions. And when nature is under threat, they respond.
Their work is everywhere.
So are their stories.
Rangers work in almost every environment on Earth – from tropical forests and coral reefs to cities, deserts and polar landscapes.
Some work for governments and protected areas. Others work with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, privately conserved areas, non-governmental organisations and locally led initiatives.
They are wildlife monitors, educators, guides, scientists, firefighters, volunteers, community leaders and custodians of generations of knowledge.
Their roles may differ, but together they form one of the world’s largest and most diverse conservation workforces.
The world has made an ambitious promise: to conserve 30% of the planet by 2030. But setting the goal is only the beginning.
Rangers’ work is helping turn that promise into reality. Rangers are central to delivering it, yet they are still too often missing from national biodiversity policy plans - and from the support needed to put those plans into action.
Rangers need professional training, fair and safe working conditions, appropriate equipment, financial resources, strong institutions and a voice in the decisions that affect their work.
Supporting rangers also means ensuring that conservation respects rights, values Indigenous and local knowledge, and is shaped with the people who live in and care for these places.
When rangers are recognised, represented and properly supported, conservation becomes stronger, fairer and more effective.
