Australia Goes Green for World Ranger Day 2024

Bridges, monuments, and cities all around the nation were awash with green on the evening of 31 July 2024, World Ranger Day, to honour the incredible job performed by park rangers.

National Parks Association of Queensland (NPAQ) CEO Chris Thomas attended as a guest of the Queensland Ranger Association (QRA) to see Brisbane’s Story Bridge illuminated and to pay tribute to these custodians of conservation. Hobart’s Tasman Bridge, Melbourne’s Town Hall, Adelaide’s Parliament House and landmarks of Cairns Regional Council, Townsville Regional Council and Rockhampton Regional Council also glowed green.

“On World Ranger Day, we recognise the valuable and often challenging work rangers do to preserve our plants and animals and to take care of our protected areas,” says Mr Thomas. “We also reflect, sadly, on the fact that in some national parks around the world, rangers have been injured or lost their lives conducting their important work. Each year on this day, the Thin Green Line and International Ranger Federation remind us of the tragic human cost of conservation.”

The International Ranger Federation (IRF) has recorded the deaths of 140 rangers in 37 countries this year alone, and more than 1300 rangers have died on duty in the last decade.

This year’s theme for World Ranger Day is ’30 by 30’, referring to the agreed-upon target for protecting at least 30% of the planet for conservation by 2030 as part of the Global Biodiversity Framework established in 2022. In Australia, all state and territories have agreed to work collectively to achieve the 30 by 30 target.

Separately, the Queensland Government has also committed to doubling Queensland’s protected areas from 15 million hectares to 30 million hectares (representing 17% of the state’s landmass), although no time commitment has been given.

“Of course, achieving 30 by 30 nationally, as well as doubling the extent of protected areas in Queensland, will need a steep increase in the number of rangers,” adds Mr Thomas. “NPAQ supports the Queensland Ranger Association and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service in pushing for more funding to train and recruit rangers in order to meet biodiversity targets.”

Estimates suggest that the world’s current 286,000 land-based rangers make up just 35% of what will be required to effectively manage almost one-third of the Earth’s landmass.

“Increasing the expenditure available for protected areas, national park management and biological conservation in both federal and state budgets, and ensuring working conditions are as safe and favourable for rangers as possible worldwide, is key to staying on track and meeting the 30 by 30 goal,” Thomas insists. “However, with the support of government and the public, I have no doubt Queensland’s dedicated rangers can not only conserve Queensland’s biodiversity but actively restore our unique habitats and showcase their many wonders to the world.”