Guwahati, December 8th 2023: India’s frontline forest staff, akin to their counterparts worldwide, play an indispensable role in conserving our forests and wildlife by sharing a common mission—safeguarding natural environments, preventing poaching, and enforcing conservation laws, among other essential tasks.

Recognising the need for increased representation of Asian rangers on an international platform, the 1st Asian Rangers Forum (ARF) 2023 was organised in Guwahati, Assam from 5th-8th December 2023. The 4-day event aimed to provide a unique opportunity for rangers and organisations supporting them from across Asia to share knowledge, create partnerships and build capacity through plenary sessions, workshops, training and other activities related to the theme of “Asia’s biodiversity guardians for 30×30.”

The 1st Asian Ranger Forum was inaugurated in Guwahati, Assam Photo by Aaranyak

The event is being organised by the Assam Forest Department, conservation organisation Aaranyak, the International Ranger Federation (IRF), the Ranger Federation of Asia (RFA), and the Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA) in collaboration with other NGO partners. Wildlife Trust of India and our partner  International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) were among the organisations supporting this ground-breaking forum which brought together 146 participants from 20 countries.

Hon’ble Minister for Environment and Forest, Govt. of Assam, Mr. Chandra Mohan Patowary attended the inaugural ceremony as chief guest while Hon’ble Minister for Forest, Cultural Affairs, Fisheries, Govt. of Maharashtra, Mr. Sudhir Mungantiwar was the guest of honour. The ceremony also included the presence of Mr. MK Yadava, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and the Head of Forest Force, Assam, Mr. Chris Galliers, President of the International Ranger Federation, and Mr. Rohit Singh, President of the Asian Ranger Federation.

Three women rangers were felicitated with the Van Durga Conservation Award 2023 Photo by Aaranyak

Mr. Chandra Mohan Patowary lauded the sacrifices and dedication of the forest field staff in protecting the precious wildlife and rich biodiversity in the state. He further stated that in addition to the prevention of poaching, the forest rangers in Assam engage in habitat management initiatives such as preventing deforestation. The Exploring Womanhood Foundation Van Durga Conservation Award 2023 was also presented to women rangers from the states of Gujarat, Meghalaya and Rajasthan.

Addressing the inauguration of the ARF, Mr. Sudhir Mungantiwar who is known for his penchant for wildlife and nature conservation, said that Rangers are true guardians of Asia’s natural heritage. He expressed that the burgeoning human population on Earth has made it an extremely difficult task to protect the forest cover and wildlife so as to achieve 30 per cent forest cover on the planet by the year 2030.

Mr. Chris Galliers, President of the International Ranger Federation emphasised that every ranger makes a difference through their valuable contribution towards the protection of wildlife and biodiversity and the planet needs more rangers at this juncture.

The president of the Asian Ranger Federation, Mr. Rohit Singh said the forum would continue to strive for the welfare and strengthening of rangers in the continent.

146 participants from 20 countries gathered and collaborated on key issues during the event| Photo by Sreenanth K

The ARF also formulated the ‘Guwahati Declaration’ emphasising the rangers’ crucial role in nature conservation, promoting inclusivity and diversity, and identifying strategies to support and empower them to carry out their duties effectively and responsibly.

Over the past 25 years, WTI’s Van Rakshak Project , supported by IFAW has been assisting government agencies in developing a strong, well-equipped and motivated force of front-line forest staff in PAs. The initiative focuses on training, equipping, and offering supplementary accidental assurance to support our courageous and dedicated frontline forest staff. To date, we’ve trained and equipped nearly 50,000 frontline forest staff across 150 PAs and over 30,000 frontline staff( permanent and temporary) have been assured under VRP. The WTI team set up a kiosk during the event to showcase the Van Rakshak Project and its impactful work spanning two and a half decades.