© GFA

WORLD RANGER DAY CELEBRATED IN ALBANIA - Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Prespa

Posted on 31 Jul, 2023 by Constanze Schaaff

On 31 July 2023, the annual World Ranger Day is celebrated  in protected areas worldwide. For GFA and our project partners alike this is an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to protect the national park and its wildlife. Rangers, who are often considered the physical guards of biodiversity in protected areas (PAs), play an important role in PA management. They patrol PAs, monitor wildlife, and prevent poaching and illegal activities by engaging local communities in conservation and helping them resolve human-wildlife conflicts. Rangers also take over tasks in environmental education.

Therefore, the World Ranger Day is celebrated to appreciate the work rangers do to protect the planet’s natural treasures and cultural heritage, and commemorate the ones killed or injured in the line of duty.

In the case of the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Prespa project, rangers also represent the  Prespa National Park towards the general public, i.e. the people living inside the PA and those visiting from outside. The project supported with various trainings and respective equipment. Today, rangers act as tour guides providing valuable information to visitors. They  also support research work and camera trapping of wildlife, conduct regular biodiversity and forest fire monitoring, and assist in related management tasks.

The Prespa region is a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems of which are under threat. The project funded by KfW and implemented by GFA and INCA aims at two interrelated objectives, namely conserving biological diversity and reducing the pressure on natural resources, while reducing poverty and improving the living conditions of the local population.

What can you see on our photos? Camera trap training, bear pawprint, training group, ranger training, visitors and bird monitoring in winter.