A Day in the Life of a Ranger

What was your first task today? 

Today I was in Allschwil-Binningen. First, I went to the forestry office to check on compliance with the fire ban in the area. Then I read up on what my staff had been up to the previous week, since I hadn’t been on site since June. After that, I grabbed my bike and loaded up the equipment. I set out relatively late, at 10:00 a.m., so that I could check all the fire pits by noon to ensure compliance with the fire ban in effect due to the dry conditions, and also to be on site in the evening. There wasn’t a single fire; the ban was being observed. On Sunday, however, there were 12 fires in the Wiese Landscape Park despite the current fire ban.

What is your main task? 

To inform and raise awareness among the public. This largely takes place through one-on-one conversations, two-thirds of which occur without any violation having taken place. However, it can also involve information booths on a specific topic or private and public guided tours. The tours vary greatly, as they are attended by school classes, private groups, or specialized audiences. At the Baselland Nature Conservation Service and in the Wiese Landscape Park, we also supervise Junior Ranger groups for children ages 7 and up and organize adventure days with booths and activities for schools. Information boards and social media are also used to inform the public.

How do you collaborate with cantonal agencies? 

We primarily work with the Office for Wildlife and Forests, the Forestry Service, the game wardens, and the hunting and fishing authorities. For example, in the Wiese Landscape Park, the fishing warden posted the signs announcing the current swimming ban. We enforce the ban in close coordination with the fishing authorities. In the Wiese Landscape Park, we act as a hub: many people know us and approach us, even if the matter falls outside our area of responsibility. For example, last week a visitor reported a dead deer. We then forwarded this to the game warden. However, we can also answer many inquiries directly because we’re out in the field. For example, we can provide information about felled trees - a common issue - since, thanks to our work and contacts, we usually know where and why a tree was cut down.

What equipment do you always carry with you? 

A phone, binoculars, our ID, our uniform, the incident report form, an iPad, a first-aid kit, a pocket knife, something to drink and eat, and sometimes a bicycle. In larger areas, we get around by bike; in smaller areas like the Reinacher Heide, we walk.

What’s a typical day like for you? 

We’re usually out on our own during daylight hours, except for special events. On the one hand, we need to be able to work well on our own, but on the other hand, we also enjoy talking to people. People often approach us - they recognize us because the same people tend to visit the area repeatedly. But that depends on the area. On Sunday, for example, I spoke more foreign languages than German for the first time in a single workday. There were a lot of expats and other people with immigrant backgrounds.

Our work hours are irregular and depend on whatever urgent issues come up. That has its pros and cons, and we can usually organize our 8-hour shifts ourselves. Personally, I try to cover all times of the day. That’s why I sometimes go out into the area very early in the morning or very late in the evening.

We interact with a wide variety of people: young people, older people, marginalized individuals, members of the Federal Council - even the President of Germany was in the area recently. We adapt our language to our audience. We speak differently with experts than we do with a school class or with people out for a walk. We communicate at different levels and in different languages with the goal of getting our message across. Google Translate is very helpful here. This past Sunday, for example, I spoke Farsi with the people there.

You mentioned barbecuing and building fires in these areas at the beginning. How much of a problem is this outside of the current ban? 

The groups that come to the area to barbecue generally don’t do so in places where it’s prohibited. Instead, they prefer to find a cozy, convenient spot by the water or in the woods with a fire pit and a bench, where there aren’t many restrictions. Unless they’re behaving completely out of line, we have very little interaction with these groups. At the Wiese Landscape Park near Basel, you’ll typically find around 1,000 people barbecuing, listening to music, and swimming. There, we check to make sure people are lighting their fires in their own grills and not just on the ground, and we ask them to extinguish the fire properly afterward and to be careful. Many people there know us; often they’re people with an immigrant background. Sometimes they even wave when they see us coming from a distance.

That actually sounds pretty peaceful! What are the three most common violations you encounter across all areas? 

Clearly, the top two are cycling despite a ban and dogs not on a leash. Coming in third is straying from the trails. There are seasonal changes and fluctuations, but we still encounter these three issues even in winter.

How do people react when you point out a violation to them? 

Do they follow the rules afterward? Generally, people are understanding. Often, they don’t even know why a rule exists. That’s why it’s important to always explain the reason behind a rule when visitors are open to it. The current swimming ban, for example, absolutely must be explained! Otherwise, no one will understand why you’re not allowed to swim when the temperature is 40 degrees. Explaining the reasoning behind the rules usually leads to understanding. The uniform certainly helps with that. However, there are also people who don’t respond to our warnings and become abusive. There have even been instances of physical assault.

How do you handle it when you’re ignored or even threatened, or when someone repeatedly breaks a rule? 

De-escalation and conflict management are part of the training program. We also offer continuing education courses in this area. There have also been cases where we’ve called the police, such as after a dog bite. If someone repeatedly fails to follow a rule, we file a report. Today, for example, I was on the verge of filing a report against someone for yet another violation of the leash law. I warned them that the next time, it would result in a report. Actually, I was too lenient - a report would have been justified even today. I’d already had several difficult conversations with this person. The next time we met, I caught them violating the rule again and then filed a report against them.

I guess you need a thick skin for that? 

Yes, our job is less romantic than some people probably imagine. It’s not just about being out with people and showing them beautiful birds (laughs). However, the percentage of conversations that result in a citation is very small - less than 1%. Two-thirds of our conversations take place without any violation occurring. But even when there is a violation, it can lead to a very productive conversation. Nevertheless, this very aspect is a major reason why many rangers decide to leave their jobs. You’re constantly busy pointing out people’s behavior, explaining rules, and sometimes even arguing. You have to be able to handle that. But there are also wonderful encounters!

So what makes a good ranger when it comes to dealing with people? 

Above all, empathy and patience. You have to be able to understand why someone isn’t following a rule. At the same time, though, you also have to be able to handle conflicts. Of course, it’s also important to enjoy being outdoors. However, overly dogmatic conservationists don’t belong in this profession, since it requires a certain amount of pragmatism. But especially on the ground, you can make a real difference for nature conservation because you can intervene directly and raise people’s awareness.

What do you do with the time you don’t spend talking to visitors? 

At the Baselland Nature Conservation Service, we have a monitoring mandate. In the Reinacher Heide, for example, we record butterfly species along transects and count the individuals of the early purple orchid twice per season. In some areas, we keep a close eye on certain bird species. And, of course, we monitor visitor numbers, the number and type of violations, and so on. But we don’t have much time to make additional observations on the side. For example, spending half an hour watching birds through binoculars is only really possible on a rainy day.

Have there been any bizarre situations? 

Absolutely. Basically, you never know what’s going to happen on a workday, and funny things happen all the time. Often, you just end up forgetting about them. For example, sometimes you stumble upon a photo shoot, or there was even a time when a hot air balloon and a military helicopter landed. A colleague once came across a discarded plastic skeleton. Another time, someone was walking a goat. The animal protection ordinance covers everything regarding dogs but not goats. The goat was on a leash, but off the trail. We approached the person openly and pointed out that grazing is prohibited and that people aren’t allowed to leave the trails. Once, someone released seven runner ducks, which then followed me everywhere I went. Round them up with the game warden was all the easier for that (laughs).