The ‘Ranger Association of Iceland’ was established in 1976 and it is a non-profit organisation that represents rangers working in Iceland. The approximately 200 members have completed a rangers course or have experience working as rangers, and every spring they prepare to work in national parks and reserved areas around Iceland. The work is multifaceted arising from the diversity of the terrain and variety of visitors. Rangers come from different backgrounds but many of them come from the ranks of teachers and university students: what brings them together is their common interest in nature and its preservation. Currently rangers are mostly employed during the summer months. Rangers receive visitors and provide them with information about natural features, places of natural and historical interest, camping facilities, hiking routes, roads and anything else the visitor may wish to know. Some areas have a visitors center where Rangers provide information and assistance.
‘Environmental Interpretation’
Many Rangers offer ‘Environmental Interpretation’ to visitors, a nature talk aimed at enriching the visitor’s experience and interest in the surrounding area, increasing awareness and understanding of nature, and raising respect for the environment. Such an aim is based on the assumption that knowledge leads to respect and respect leads to conservation. Environmental interpretation is provided during short and long hikes, at children’s lectures, in the visitors centers and of course during informal chats at any time.
Nature Conservation and Monitoring
Rangers make sure that the conservation codes and the laws set out within the ‘Nature Conservation Act’ are upheld: they see to it that the environment is treated with respect by managing the flow of visitor traffic. Rangers are responsible for signposting hiking routes and for the construction of new paths as well as the maintenance. Through these efforts the Rangers ensure that visitors have access to sight of interest and that such access has minimum impact upon the environment.
Visitors can approach a Ranger at any time, for any reason. In some nature conservation areas the Ranger may be the only person familiar with the area who can be approached in case of emergency.
To qualify as a Ranger, the candidate needs to complete a special course held every other year in nature conservation and park management held by the ‘Environment and Food Agency’ along with other organizations needs to be completed. Course participants need to be at least 20 years old and must have completed the ‘University Entrance Examination’, or have equivalent qualifications or experience. The course focuses on nature conservation, land use, geology, biology, local history, law, path construction, service, conduct, guiding, and environmental interpretation. In the future, the course will follow a curriculum set out for all Rangers within Europe.
Here you can read an interview to an Icelandic highland park ranger
Read more on Landverdir.is and on Ust.is
