This year’s World Ranger Day is being held under the theme “Rangers: Guardians of a Changing Planet.” A changing world brings new challenges for nature and people, which is why working together to protect it is more important than ever.
When people hear the term “nature conservation ranger,” they often first think of enforcement and penalties. In reality, however, our work is based primarily on dialogue, cooperation, and mutual trust. It is precisely the trust of the people who live and work in our environment that is one of the most important reasons we are able to do our work successfully.
Nature conservation rangers monitor the state of nature, guide visitors, and ensure that the rules in the protected area are followed. When necessary, we take action, but that is only part of our job. We can achieve much more through prevention, friendly conversation, and good cooperation with visitors and locals.
It is the local residents themselves who are our most important partners in nature conservation. They know their area well, quickly notice changes, and often alert us to actions that harm nature or encroach on private property. Such information is invaluable to us, as it allows us to respond to problems in a timely manner.
We experienced an example of this kind of cooperation earlier this year, when residents of one of the villages alerted us to visitors who were driving across private land to photograph rare birds. We took the report seriously, stepped up our morning patrols in the area over the following days, and, through our increased presence, succeeded in significantly reducing this behavior. Such cases confirm that together we can achieve much more than we could on our own.
Another unique feature of Notranjska Park is the occasional use of horses for nature conservation patrols. Horses complement the work of nature conservation rangers, who carry out their duties in various ways—on foot, by bicycle, by car, by boat, and occasionally on horseback. Horses allow us to access certain areas more quietly and calmly. At the same time, they often serve as a bridge to people—many conversations with visitors begin precisely because of an encounter with a horse and end with a better understanding of why nature conservation is important.
On World Ranger Day, we thank everyone who helps us preserve our very special piece of the world through information, observations, and responsible behavior. We, nature conservation rangers, are the eyes and ears of the park, but without people who know this area and care about it, our work would not be as successful. If you notice any behavior in nature that could harm the environment, please report your observations to us at nadzor@notranjski-park.si. Your information helps us better understand what’s happening on the ground and respond in a timely manner. Only together can we ensure that our park remains a place of preserved nature and harmonious coexistence for all of us who respect and value it.
The implementation of extensive nature conservation projects exceeds the financial capacity of the local community, therefore Notranjska Park regularly applies for projects with the possibility of co-financing by the European Union.
The implementation of large-scale conservation projects exceeds the financial capabilities of the local community, therefore Notranjska Park regularly applies for projects with the possibility of co-financing from the European Union.
