WCC-2025-Res-101 - Activity Report submission form

In partnership with WCPA and International Ranger Federation, IUCN has launched the Ranger Effect Campaign (https://iucn.org/ranger-effect) to
- Showcase real ranger work.
- Help nations reach 30 by 30 target.
- Boost policy support; encourage inclusion of rangers in NBSAPs.
This campaign will be highlighted at CBD COP 17.
The IRF is partnering with the HAC and is urging the UN General Assembly to rangers in their 30x30 declaration.

IUCN and WCPA have established a new formal governance system for the awards, including the IUCN DG and WCPA Chair as members of the Joint Management Board and inclusion of the IRF on the Steering Committee. WCPA is providing the coordinator for the awards management team. Plans are in progress for the next awards to be presented at the 2027 World Protected and Conserved Area Congress.

URSA and the IRF have contracted a labour consultant to create a global ranger rights charter, to be endorsed by rangers at the 2017 World Ranger Congress and presented at the World Protected and Conserved Areas Congress later in 2017.
Additionally the labour consultant is working with countries to establish how national associations can use existing laws to advocate for change within the ILO for ranger recognition.

Representatives of WCPA and the IRF have met with all the IUCN regional Directors to explore how to implement this element of Resolution 101 at a regional level.
The IRF is planning to build a ranger competence assessment tool, similar to https://conservation-cat.com/ , based on the Global Ranger Competences and on the architecture of the of IUCN WCPA Global Register of Competences for Protected Area Practitioners.
URSA, IRF and WCPA members have coauthored a paper titled Non-State Rangers: Identifying And Supporting The Diverse Set Of People That Fulfil Ranger Functions, published in the WCPA Journal PARKS. https://parksjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/5_TIMMINS-ET-AL.pdf

URSA, IRF and WCPA members have coauthored a paper entitled ‘The Ranger Blindspot: Global Policy and Implementation Gaps’, highlighting the lack of references to workforce and rangers in major global policies, conventions and agreements. This is due to be published later in 2026. WCPA, IUCN, IRF and URSA will present this at COP17, with a longer-term aim of getting workforce reporting integrated into NBSAPs by 2030.

URSA and the IRF have contracted a labour consultant to create a global ranger rights charter, to be endorsed by rangers at the 2017 World Ranger Congress and presented at the World Protected and Conserved Areas Congress later in 2017. Once this is complete the intention is that ranger employers sign up to this.

The IRF Ranger Code of Conduct is being promoted and adopted worldwide. It is being used to support development of a regional CoC for SADC countries, being supported by the IUCN ESARO office through the Wildlife Managers and Ranger Training project.