Countryside Management Association News

In the March edition of the IRF newsletter The Thin Green Line the International Ranger Federation Congress organizers confirm that the Sixth World Ranger Congress is on – to be based at the 5 star Los Tajibos Hotel; Santa Cruz de la Sierra - Bolivia.
The opening dinner will be on Sunday, November 1, 2009, and the closing dinner will be on Friday 6th, with home or onward travel on Saturday, November 7th.
Here are some particulars taken from the newsletter:

• Web site – The organizers state than an updated web page and registration link will be available by mid-March. The new deadline for the early registration rate is changed to April 15th. The Congress website is http://www.guardaparque.org/

• Paypal service – The organizers (EVENTUS) were able to get a contract to use Paypal for paying registration fees though this will not be ready to be used before 23rd March. (Note that fees are quoted in US dollars so be aware that the exchange rate is not very favourable at the moment).

• Bolivian agency support – The Bolivian park agency, SERNAP, has renewed its commitment to the Congress and will be funding the attendance of 50 Bolivian rangers. They are also supporting the involvement of the Bolivian ranger association (ABOLAC) in giving time-off for those rangers working on the Congress organizing committee. The Ministry of the Environment is very interested in showcasing this Congress and is expected to provide additional support.

• The call for abstracts will be announced on the website in mid-March. Abstracts are invited both from those who are planning to participate in person at the congress, and for those who are unable to attend who may submit abstracts for poster presentations. The deadline for abstracts will be April 15th.

• The congress program will be operationally focused covering topics such as the current and future work of rangers, climate change and what this means for protected area management, building links between ranger associations across the world and setting directions for IRF in the future.

Further details from Tegan Burton who is on the Congress Program Committee.
reefer@netspace.net.au

Footnote – The lateness of information (compared to previous IRF Congresses) makes it difficult for those seeking funding support. There is still no firm indication of programme structure/topics and in-spite of the current assurance from IRF that the Congress will go ahead, I suggest that anyone interested in attending should contact me for the up-to-date picture.

Roger Cole
CMA International Adviser
thecolefamily@btinternet.com

The recent IRF monthly newsletter "Guardeparque" carried the following account from Parks Victoria Rangers about the Australian bush fires in the state:

Several former Parks Victoria staff members have perished and many close colleagues from our park communities have also lost their lives. Six staff have lost their homes and all staff at Kinglake lost their cars when our office and depot was destroyed.

Many Parks Victoria staff have discovered bodies in the hardest hit areas, including the discovery of nine bodies on a walking track.

On the positive side, there are a number of heroic stories where staff have saved each other and also directly saved the lives of community members. There are also many fires that have been controlled and therefore prevented further mass destruction.
One of the areas affected is Wilson's Promontory National Park where the 2003 International Ranger Federation Congress was held.
Fortunately this fire seems to be under control.

Following this report the CMA sent a message of support to our Ranger colleagues in Victoria.
Roger Cole
CMA International Adviser