World Ranger Day is commemorated on 31 July every year when we honour the park, marine and field rangers around the world who protect our natural heritage for future generations. It is an acknowledgement of their hard work and grateful thanks for their ongoing service.  On this day, we also remember rangers who were injured or killed in the line of duty.

Closer to home, we pay tribute to all CapeNature’s marine and field rangers who work tirelessly across the Western Cape; protecting vulnerable plant and animal species from poachers, clearing alien vegetation, battling fire, conserving biodiversity and educating and engaging the visitors who arrive at our reserves.  In the lead up to World Ranger Day, we spoke to our field rangers about nature conservation and what shone strongly through the images that they shared and the stories that they told was a pride in their work and their love for nature.

Here are some of CapeNature's very own Power Rangers in their own words and pictures.

The marine and field rangers are the front line in the planet’s critical conservation battle and have to be the proverbial “jack of all trades” in the nature reserves. Our rangers provide services such as carrying out field and marine surveys, performing law enforcement duties – both on and off reserve – providing education to youth groups and tourists, applying basic first aid, assisting in gate guard duties, providing support to conservation services and to our biodiversity crime unit as well as doing general maintenance and repairs on our reserves. This all happens while also conducting administrative work such as compiling log sheets, writing reports and maintaining good relationships with conservation partner groups. Listen to what our rangers had to say about the range of tasks that they have to perform on a daily basis.

Mkhuseli Boesman (Driftsands Nature Reserve):

Geralda Adams (Ganzekraal Conservation Area):

Masehly Scheepers (Swartberg Nature Reserve):

Dylan de Waal (Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area):

One thing is for sure, no two days are the same when the great outdoors is your office!

Here are some parting words of inspiration and advice from CapeNature rangers:

Geralda Adams (Ganzekraal Conservation Area):

Rodney Kissen (Rocherpan Nature Reserve):

John Rossouw (Outeniqua Nature Reserve):

Marshall van Rooyen (Lambert's Bay, Bird Island):

Thank you marine and field rangers, we salute you!