Get to know Ranger Beth on World Ranger Day
Every year, World Ranger Day is held on July 31 to celebrate the work rangers do to protect the planet’s natural treasures and cultural heritage, as well as commemorate rangers killed or injured in the line of duty.
This year, we’re celebrating by getting to know one of our dedicated rangers a little better.
Ranger Beth works in the beautiful Belair National Park, and we think she might have one of the best offices in the world.
On any given day she could be performing biodiversity monitoring in the morning, managing park visitors at lunch, and working on trail maintenance in the afternoon.
Beth explains, “There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ day as a ranger. Some of my routine activities include biodiversity monitoring, working with volunteers, visitor management, park maintenance, responding to enquiries, wildlife management, emergency response, fire management, signage plans, and trail maintenance. And the list goes on…”
Growing up in Adelaide on Kaurna land, Beth's connection to nature was evident early on. A proud Dharug woman, she often went camping and bird watching with her family, pretending to be a ranger on family walks.
Beth says, “I was bird obsessed and had several aviaries of lots of different native birds. I started native bird rescue when I was 5 and was known as the bird lady all through primary school and high school, even into uni.”
Beth left high school early to pursue environmental traineeships, eventually earning a Bachelor of Science in Biodiversity and Conservation with a minor in Zoology. Her education took her across Australia, South Africa, and Fiji, where she conducted studies on birds and even had a scientific paper published in Emu - Austral Ornithology.
“While undertaking these studies I got to work closely with First Nations Peoples both in Australia and other countries and had the opportunity to listen to their similar stories and difficulties that have come with colonisation and how those impacts are felt within their communities to this day.”
The toughest part about Beth’s role? Compliance and emergency response tasks. Facing aggressive individuals during compliance tasks and confronting challenging situations in emergency responses can be daunting.
Beth says it can be frustrating to see visitors not respecting parks and ignoring rules that are there to protect the environment. However, having a supportive team that regularly check in with each other and offering a listening ear helps.
Beth found it particularly rewarding to be part of biological surveys and witness the diverse ecosystems, especially in the Coongie Wetlands and Innamincka.
“I’ve gained a real appreciation for desert ecosystems and the huge diversity they hold, and seeing the desert after rain is just magic!! I’ve gotten to see places and animals that most people will never get a chance to. I feel truly lucky to have experienced that.”
Sound like a challenge you would enjoy?
Beth recommends aspiring rangers gain hands-on experience through volunteering and entry level jobs to build on-ground skills.
She emphasises the importance of joining local Friends groups or Volunteer Rangers programs and gaining firefighting experience, which is highly valued in the field.
Beth is proud to protect wild areas and educate people about the importance of nature. She believes national parks are crucial for preserving biodiversity and providing spaces for humans to reconnect with nature.
It's safe to say we couldn’t be prouder of our rangers and the outstanding work they do in our national parks.
Next time you see a ranger, make sure you say hello and thank you for everything they do.
