UNITED STATES — World Ranger Day is observed on July 31, a day that celebrates the public servants who steward protected lands across the globe.
The National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Department of the Interior each shared messages of gratitude on social media to recognize the work rangers do in the United States and beyond.
“On #WorldRangerDay, we celebrate and acknowledge all the park rangers who protect and preserve places around the world,” NPS posted on Facebook. “From making trails, enforcing laws and cleaning up litter; to restoring habitat, managing wildlife and educating visitors; rangers wear many hats. Restoration crews, wildland firefighters, educators, trail crew workers, law enforcement officers, scientists, custodial workers and naturalists are just a few of the different types of rangers that play an important role in inspiring stewardship for our natural world.”
The Dept. of the Interior took a lighter approach to its message, highlighting the “cool hats” worn by rangers and sharing fun photos.
World Ranger Day was first observed in 2007 to commemorate the founding of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) 15 years earlier. This year’s theme is “30 by 30,” inspired by the 2022 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, where world leaders set a goal to conserve at least 30 percent of the planet by the year 2030.
“This target cannot be achieved without adequately resourced and trained area-based workforce,” the IRF says of the goal on its website.
“At the forefront of this workforce are rangers and protected area workers, encompassing state employed personnel, Indigenous peoples, community and voluntary guardians and personnel of privately managed areas,” IRF says. “Their work includes protection, conservation, monitoring, visitor services, fire management, law enforcement, education, community support and regulation of sustainable use.”
