Ranger fundraiser shores up nature help at home and abroad

What comes to mind when you hear the word "ranger"? Someone in Steve Irwin khaki, driving a 4WD through the wilderness, counting water buffalo, talking about a looming drought?

Possibly. But it turns out the term can be much broader than we might have thought.

Ranger advocate Leah Pippos says the word's meaning encompasses workers across a vast array of backgrounds.

"It can include anyone in a field-based role, those who directly support or supervise frontline team members, people who protect and manage biodiversity, heritage, ecosystems,” says Leah, chair of the Protected Area Workers Association. 

“It could be someone sitting at a desk talking to managers about how we can better resource allocation, it could be someone rescuing a whale, it could be someone looking at pest management. It's a very broad term.”

PAWA, a non-profit and apolitical professional association representing protected area workers across NSW and the ACT, is hosting the World Ranger Day Fundraiser at the Yallah Woolshed on July 31.

The event will include a speech from Midnight Oil frontman and environmental advocate Peter Garrett, as well as a live performance by former winner of The Voice, Lachie Gill. Vox FM’s Kevin Barron will serve as master of ceremonies.

“I’m really looking forward to hearing Peter Garrett’s wealth of knowledge over the years through being in a band, to politics and so forth," Leah says. 

Leah represents members across the state, dedicating her time to advocating on their behalf, offering mental health resources and coordinating support for international rangers across Oceania.

“I'm working with the executives of New South Wales and the ACT to help to advocate for our members, and to make sure that the executives of these associations and our departments understand some of the challenges that we're facing on the ground,” she says. 

“For me, PAWA has been a pretty big game-changer professionally and personally. And I've found a community and built networks, and it's lifted my morale. And so, wanting to sort of repay that to other members and find that space for shared values and those real opportunities for growth.”

Leah says that while not all members of PAWA carry the word “ranger” in their official job descriptions, the fundraiser will celebrate all facets of frontline conservation work.

Funds raised will support critical conservation efforts, protect endangered wildlife and ensure safety of local communities and park visitors. Beyond financial support, the evening offers an important opportunity for attendees to build a vital professional community.

“It's so important in our work, I believe, to get to know other people in the field, because the work is not always nice, it's not always pretty. It's often extremely difficult,” Leah says. 

"When you're working in a fire environment, for example, the 2019-20 bushfires… horrific for the environment, horrific for us who work in the environment, seeing these places that we love and protect on a daily basis kind of go up in flames. So, you know, we need that personal connection."

While managing mental health is an important part of PAWA’s work, building these networks also provides practical, day-to-day advantages for resource management.

"I certainly have members call me, thankfully on an irregular basis, in terms of mental health. Because we all have highs and lows in life, but it's having that support mechanism,” she says.

The gala aims to raise awareness for the work of protected area workers while honouring global colleagues who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

“World Ranger Day is a day to celebrate what we do, but it's also to commemorate those that we have lost in the line of action," Leah says. 

"Globally, it is one of the most dangerous professions in the world... It is an amazing profession, but there are some hardships... We leave our families behind and we go and protect the environment for future generations. And sometimes people are leaving their own home in a not-ideal situation because of fires and so forth. So it's not always the easiest decision."

Attendees can also take part in a massive silent auction featuring donated gear from outdoor brand Mont, books, jewellery, photographs, original artworks and more. NSW National Parks has signed on as the major sponsor for the evening.

The gala will also support PAWA's ongoing international aid efforts, which provide resources to under-equipped rangers outside of Australia.

"This one is to raise funds so that we can help those Oceania [rangers] and equip rangers in our area," Leah says.

"I know rangers on the Solomon Islands, for example, and we recently sent them some personal protective equipment to help them protect the area in which they live. Someone else in the committee had connected with some Kenyan rangers and we sent a bunch of equipment over to Kenya.

"When we’re connecting with people on the islands like Samoa, Solomon Islands, Fiji, for example… last year we sent pallet loads of equipment to these three nations to try and assist them in protecting their protected areas."

Leah encourages PAWA members and supporters to book a table, or consider joining the association to provide ongoing support.

Ticket bookings through Humanitix

Association memberships are $50 a year for protected area workers and $25 for associate membership. Purchase a membership through the PAWA website at protectedareaworkers.org