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Ranger is a hero! World Ranger Day is marked annually on the 31st of July
Up to four hundred rangers of twenty administrative divisions of Georgia are protecting the unique treasures, natural attractions and protected areas of our country. The rangers are preventing the poaching, dealing with the fires caused by either negligent or intentional conduct, conducting monitoring of biodiversity, taking care for cleanliness and if necessary providing assistance to visitors. 667,000 hectares of the territory of Georgia are under the protection of our rangers.
The Agency of Protected Areas of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture organized an event dedicated to the ‘’Rangers Day’’ in the Sabaduri Forest section in Tbilisi National Park.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Levan Davitashvili, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Georgia Louisa Vinton, German Ambassador to Georgia Hubert Knirsch, Ambassador of Japan Tadaharu Uehara and Chairperson of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee , Nino Tsilosani congratulated the Rangers on their professional day.
"I congratulate all rangers on their professional day. Four hundred Rangers protect the most beautiful and unique areas of Georgia. All of them are performing the duty imposed on them, risking their own lives. Therefore, these people are real heroes. I once again congratulate our rangers and thank them for their service to the country, "said the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili.
As noted by the Minister, strengthening and developing the system of protected areas is one of the priority directions, for which a number of projects are being implemented in the country. The working conditions of the rangers are annually improving, their salary has been increased by 100% in the last 3 years.
The Donor organizations, German Government, German Development Bank and Caucasus Wildlife Fund are making large contributions, providing rangers with salary and food allowances, insurance services and work equipment.
The families of rangers, who died in the line of duty receive monthly financial aid.
" Living in a century of climate change, health crises and human-made disasters, we realize, that humanity is mindlessly damaging and overstepping the limits of nature. Today, all of us are rangers and we should take responsibility for protecting our planet and preserving it for future generations" said the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Georgia Louisa Vinton.
This year, the "Ranger of the Year" has been revealed, awarding cash prizes to all twenty territorial administrations of protected areas, moreover, along with the male rangers, five female rangers were encouraged to participate in the event as well. The families of rangers killed in the line of duty got compensation.
 The event ‘’Ranger Day’’ was funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Government of Sweden under the Initiative "Enforcing Protected Areas System Capacity for Performance Improvement and Increased Awareness".
The UNDP has been promoting the system of protected areas in Georgia for more than ten years. The event is also supported by the German government, the German Development Bank (KFW) and the Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF), which are actively promoting rangers and improving their working conditions.Â