The Keepers of the Amazon: Honoring Forest Rangers on World Ranger Day
July 31, 2025
Every day, throughout the Amazon rainforest, forest rangers rise before dawn. They lace up their boots, check their gear, and set out into one of the most biodiverse, as well as threatened, ecosystems on Earth. On World Ranger Day (July 31), we honor their commitment to safeguarding nature, often under difficult and dangerous conditions.
In the Amazon, rangers are much more than protectors of trees. They are guardians of biodiversity, of Indigenous lands, and most of the time, the first responders to threats like illegal logging, mining, and fire. Their presence helps ensure the forest, and the people who depend on it, can continue to thrive.
“I love nature, I love the environment, and I love protecting it. I also help guide visitors, reminding them to care for the forest and take their waste with them.”
— Yolanda Quispe Higuera, park ranger from Phinaya, Cusco, Peru
Through our Amazon Conservation Alliance, made up of Amazon Conservation (U.S.), Conservación Amazónica–ACCA (Peru), and Conservación Amazónica–ACEAA (Bolivia), we work with organizations and communities of forest rangers across the region, equipping them with the tools, training, and technology they need to succeed. From GPS and drones to satellite data, these modern tools complement their deep knowledge of the land, allowing them to monitor vast forest areas, identify early signs of deforestation, and respond quickly and safely to emergencies.
Yet for many rangers, what motivates them is not the gear – it’s the mission. Rangers across the Amazon face growing risks: extreme weather, limited access to remote areas, and organized environmental crime. But they continue to show up, day after day, because they know what’s at stake.
This World Ranger Day, we invite you to stand with them.
By supporting our work, you’re helping us expand ranger programs, train new people, and ensure that forest guardians have the support they need to keep the Amazon standing, for wildlife, for climate, and all of us.
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