Countryside Management Association News

Just a timely reminder that the Congress earlybird registration at the reduced rate (US$800) closes on Sunday 31st May.

If you register before May 31st the early registration rate will apply and Congress organisers will contact you when their PayPal system is ready to take your payment.

Full details of the Congress and registration is on the web site: http://www.worldrangercongress.org

Confirmed registrations for the congress are now about 100 with additional confirmed sponsorships for unregistered delegates.

I am aware of 2 CMA members already registered but would like to know if any others are planning to attend so we can optimize travel plans etc.

I have also extended the deadline for applications for the CMA £250 bursary to 31st May. Contact me for an application form if you are interested, or for any further information about the Congress.

The Congress opening dinner is on Sunday, November 1st, and the closing dinner on Saturday, November 7th. The rest of the week will be devoted to presentations from Rangers from around the world on relevant topics (see website) together with field visits.

Roger Cole

CMA International Adviser

Please forward this message to as many rangers as possible within your organisation for them to complete the questionnaire and influence education and training for Rangers in parks and green spaces.

Replies are short in coming forward and the end of May is the deadline for analysis. Please help by forwarding quickly.

If you are a manager with access to the supporting documents please help in this way. (Person Specification; JD and organisational structure – thank you to those few received already).

If you are a ranger please see below and if you were once a ranger and would like to complete the questionnaire please help in this way but mark that your reply is from X dates.

Thank you all so much.

Dear Rangers,

GSNW is recommending to Lantra the land based sector’s Skills Council and the national Skills to Grow Strategy by CLG and CABE Space the requisite skills and job types for rangers working within parks and green spaces including coast and countryside. The purpose of which is to attract people to these jobs as career choices and provide a path of education and training options to begin and grow in that career. This work is being undertaken with BTCV, colleges and other partners working with Lantra.

We need those working as rangers to identify their jobs and the needed skills so Rangers are not overlooked but understood for the variety and complexity GSNW believes different Ranger’s jobs to be. We want these all to be considered for improvement in available training, education and encouragement to join the sector and we want those in post to have access to personal development to improve in your jobs that is affordable and specific to your working environments.

The end of May is your last chance to influence this work by completing the above questionnaire and sending the requested documents. Please don’t miss out on this opportunity – the essential and desirable skills can only be set from your replies and these will design future education and courses for Rangers. There is no limit on the number of replies or on the type of Ranger or Warden job done as we need a good cross section to sample. Please just send back to me.

Across the North West one reply has been received from the following – these will set the formal response from GSNW to the sector’s advisors: Your contribution will make a difference and will improve the education and training offer for Rangers in the future.

Please send me your completed questionnaires and the supporting documents and information, as soon as possible, to make sure your jobs and skills are included. I will ensure all are treated confidentially and you will receive the survey results back.

Thank you very much and best wishes,

Kirsty

Mrs Kirsty Rhind

GreenSpace North West Manager

krhind@gsnw.org.uk

07920 055965

www.gsnw.org.uk

http://www.loveparksweek.org.uk/

No not another UK expenses scandal, but in India this time. A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) attacked and threatened to kill the chief ranger of the Kaziranga National Park, who happens to be our IRF colleague "D.D".Boro. Two MLA's Jiten Gogoi and Kushal Deuri, had entered the park, a world heritage site and home to the endangered one-horned rhino, for fishing, which is prohibited there. When challenged, Gogoi had threatened to kill Chief Ranger Dharanidhar Boro with his AK-47 and assaulted park employees. Gogoi claimed he was a 'king' and would hunt animals as royalty has always done so. "I am known as the king of this area and I will behave like a king. Earlier, kings went hunting and I will also hunt animals," Gogoi told a local television channel. "Who are these forest people to complain against me? Are they bigger than me? We don't kill animals nowadays, but I think next time I will hunt inside the park to show them that I am a king". And we think we've got it tough?? The case continues........!!