#WRC2019NEPAL - Day 4 and 5: November 15 and 16

#WRC2019NEPAL

Day 4 and 5: Reaching conclusions

For about an hour yesterday evening, Sauraha Chowk, the centre of town, was overflowing with song, dance, and one primary message: Communities of Chitwan stand with World Rangers. Over 600 people filled the streets in the community-led “Parade for Rangers." Bishnu Prasad Acharaya, a Chitwan local and Attendee-In Charge of Hotel Seven Star, the official venue of the Congress, said the parade captured his sentiments in visual form. “We have never had an event of this scale and size here in Chitwan so it’s a big deal for Chitwan and the country—especially in the lead up to Visit Nepal 2020.”

Concurrent Sessions

During the session, "International Ranger Coalition: A United Voice for Rangers," participants engaged in productive small-group discussions about potential avenues to support ranger associations around the world. Participants also also sought feedback on the role of associations in fulfilling the Chitwan Declaration.

Kizito Lomonegin

Kenya

"One way for us to fulfil the Chitwan Declaration is through campaigns that highlight ranger work. These campaigns can lead to greater recognition and visibility."

Rick Parmer

California State Park Ranger Association

"New associations must be backed by financial support. Having a regional base for these associations is equally important."

Plenary 1: Technology

Experts shared key examples of how technology, such as the Spatial Monitoring and Evaluation Tool (SMART), have allowed rangers across the world to manage, interpret, and evaluate data to supplement environmental protection and habitat management. All panelists highlighted that in order for technological interventions to be effective, they must address specific problems and contexts.
Some key sound bites from the panel included: - Col. Sudeep Panta, Nepal Army: "Initially, we were filling in and entering our log sheets manually. With systems in place, we could become more effective."- Tandin Wangchuk, Bhutanese Ranger: "Before, our work was not quantifiable. With data management systems in place, we were able to monitor our work better."- Drew Cronin, SMART Programme Manager: "All the things we're talking about are just tools and tools are only as good as their application."

DAY 5: SHORT UPDATE

Due to a lack of reliable internet, we are unable to upload photos for Day 5. However, we plan to share all photos and captions on our Facebook Page within the coming weeks. Please make sure you're following us!

Key highlights from today:

The newly-elected International Ranger Federation (IRF) Executive Committee was announced today! Congratulations to Chris Galliers for assuming the role of IRF President. A special thank you to Sean Willmore for his leadership and dedication throughout his tenure. A full list of all the newly elected representatives will be shared on Facebook within the coming days.
The Chitwan Declaration, the key outcome of the 9th World Ranger Congress, was also voted on and announced during an afternoon ceremony. The Declaration, a product of review from over 100 Ranger associations across the world and all registered participants at the Congress, called for countries to urgently invest in rangers to protect the planet's natural resources, life support systems, mitigate climate change, and achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals. The Declaration recognizes the essential role of rangers, the dangers they face in their work and the global importance of conservation areas. The key areas for urgent investment, as well as an overview of the Declaration drafting process, will be shared shortly.
The Closing Ceremony featured speeches from key representatives from the Government of Nepal, including the Minister of Tourism, Shakti Bahadur Basnet.

Pictures and more detailed information will be shared on Facebook soon.

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