From poachers to protectors:

Young conservationist honoured

29 August 2008

A Rwandan conservationist who helped turn mountain gorilla poachers into tourism guides has been given an award by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and the International Ranger Federation.

Edwin Sabuhoro, winner of the 2008 Young Conservationist Award

Edwin Sabuhoro, 35, was selected as winner of the 2008 Young Conservationist Award, which honours outstanding achievements by young people in protected areas. 

Edwin developed incentives for local people to protect gorilla habitat by founding the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, a community-based tourism initiative, in the Musanze district of Northern Rwanda.

Revenue from tourism has encouraged communities to protect gorillas and develop small-scale businesses. Today, the outcomes of the project are astonishing. Local people own 100% of the project. The cultural village has increased tourism by 40% and has generated a sustainable income base for the village. Poaching of gorillas has been reduced by 60%.

“I feel extremely proud, honoured and excited to be awarded the second IUCN-IRF Young Conservationist Award,” says Edwin. “I know just how much this means to my continuing efforts but also for inspiring other young conservationist in Rwanda, the African continent and the whole world. I would like to express my utmost appreciation to IUCN and IRF for this award.”

Edwin, who has already been internationally recognised for the development of pro-poor ecotourism in his country, will be presented with the award at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona this October.

“The IUCN-IRF Young Conservationist Award honours the contribution of young people to conservation,” says David Sheppard, Head of IUCN's Programme on Protected Areas. “Edwin’s outstanding work has benefited gorillas and local people in Rwanda. It has shown that the involvement of local people with wildlife conservation can result in win-win outcomes. We warmly congratulate Edwin on his well deserved award."

Edwin will be invited to become a member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and its Young Professionals Working Group.

“What impresses me most about Edwin Sabuhoro is that he found a local solution for a serious protected area problem,” says Deanne Adams, Acting President of the IRF. “He established a way to provide a new economy for local communities that also provides new protection for threatened animals in the area – and this is a source of inspiration for other communities.”

The Young Conservationist Award is a joint initiative launched by IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas and the International Ranger Federation. In 2004, the two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote collaboration on protected areas and the rangers responsible for their protection.

For more information, please contact Djinn Pourkiani on djinn.pourkiani@iucn.org

World Ranger Day
July 31
Join in recognizing the Thin Green Line of park protectors

WHAT IS WORLD RANGER DAY?
The International Ranger Federation was founded to support the work of Rangers as the key protectors of the world’s protected areas.  At the World Ranger Congress 2006 in Scotland, IRF delegates decided that July 31 of each year, beginning in 2007, would be a day dedicated to world rangers. The first World Ranger Day fell on the 15th anniversary of the founding of IRF on July 31, 1992.  The first World Ranger Day involved dozens of events around the globe, many showing a premiere of the ranger-produced film “The Thin Green Line.”

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
IRF is calling on its member associations, protected area agencies, individual rangers, sponsors, and the world public to initiate or join in an event or activity that recognises world conservation areas, and the professional staff – the Rangers – that form the Thin Green Line around these most valuable resources.

Ways in which you can recognise World Ranger Day:

• Invite the public to join your park in paying a moment’s respect to rangers who have lost their lives in the course of duty.
• Host a ranger seminar – collaborate with different Protected Area agencies in your geographic area.
• Mention the role of the world’s Rangers in a scheduled guided walk or talk with park visitors and partners.
• Host a special public event in or near your park dedicated to the work of Rangers in your particular area.
• Meet with your local communities, partners, and supporting groups to talk about the role of Rangers, the work of the IRF, and how they can help support Rangers and protected areas.
•  Visit a school – engage the youth in the future of world parks, biodiversity, and conservation.
•  Invite a Ranger from another country or park to join you and your co-workers for a week in your park, to include July 31.
• If you are a Ranger, meet with your colleagues to discuss World Ranger Day and the role of Rangers, including the work of IRF.
•  Using World Ranger Day events, seek partners and donors interested in supporting and sustaining the work in your protected area, and the IRF.
• Have fun! Celebrate your role in protecting the world’s natural and cultural treasures.

A LITTLE HISTORY
World Parks
In 1872, Yellowstone National Park in the United States became the world’s first federally designated national park.  Since then, according to the IUCN, over 100,000 protected areas, representing more than 10% of the earth’s landmass, have been established around the world.

World Rangers
The English word “ranger” reflects the guardians of the Royal Forests in 14th century England, protecting the King’s lands from poachers.  Today, Rangers in protected areas throughout the world continue this role for the public, not just for the royal families.  Rangers are the key force protecting these resources from impairment.  They do this through law enforcement, environmental education, community relations, fighting fires, conducting search and rescues, and in many many other ways.

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