GEORGE NEWS - Some 55 rangers in Africa have died in the line of duty so far this year, an increase from last year's 35 reported cases. This information was shared at a meeting when South African National Parks (SANParks) hosted the Game Rangers Association of Africa last Thursday 27 July in Wilderness ahead of International Rangers Day (31 July).
This growing number of deaths, the relevance of the socio-economic impact of Garden Route National Park (GRNP) in the region and minimising the risk of seed dispersal were among the topics discussed.
Paddy Gordon, manager of the GRNP, illustrated the multiple roles played by rangers to ensure national parks remain havens for the conservation of biodiversity and allow visitors to experience this through various tourism offerings.
"Some 34 events take place at and more than 200 000 visitors go through the Garden Route National Park every year, but our role remains that of conserving nature for current and future generations and creating experiences for visitors in nature.
These include multiple hiking trails, cycling, forest excursions (ziplining, segways, scootours) and others," he said. Gordon also commended the training and mentoring sessions held between the Game Rangers Association and rangers in the Garden Route.
Alien seed dispersal
Trail running has become a drawcard for the parks. This year over 10 000 people have already run through the forests between Wilderness and Tsitsikamma in events such as the Knysna Oyster Festival's Forest Marathon.
All sporting activities happen on zoned land where activities are compatible with the broader conservation objective. The presentation by marine ecologist Kyle Smith focused on trail runners as vectors of seed dispersal in national parks.
Through an experiment conducted during the Otter Trail Run, Smith and his team were able to raise awareness about seeds of invasive alien species carried into a national park.
"The message is: Clean the soles of your running shoes before and after every race. That way we minimise the risk of seeds dispersing," he said. This goes for game ranger vehicles and every mechanism of transport in and out of parks.
Other discussions on the day were about fynbos and forest and fire management, which were led by the Southern Cape Fire Protection Association.
Mentorship, leadership and skills
Andrew Campbell, CEO of the Game Rangers Association of Africa, said that mentorship and leadership training is important for rangers, hence a dedicated ranger programme was part of the day's events.
He also highlighted the growing number of rangers who die in the line of duty, which is concerning.
The members of the Game Rangers Association have come from across the African continent for an AGM held in Wilderness (Ebb & Flow Rest Camp) and dedicated two days to meet with SANParks. The organisation's focus is on providing the necessary skills for rangers across Africa.
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