On a Mission in Panama to Create Park Rangers
During the month of May, Global Conservation, in collaboration with Panama’s National System of Protected Areas (SINAP), led a three-day training program for Panama National Park Rangers.
More than 20 park ranger supervisors and field-level rangers from various Panamanian national parks attended. The training was designed to equip these supervisors and rangers with knowledge and skills they could pass along to other park rangers. This training program was aimed at strengthening the technical, legal, and operational capacities of Panamanian park rangers, highlighting their key role in the protection of natural resources, enforcement of environmental law, and territorial security.
Participants received instruction on various topics, including professionalism, ethics, principled ranger behavior, patrol techniques, and community and media relations. They were also trained in technology and surveillance, including the use of trail cameras and the continued application of EarthRanger. All these topics were instructed to enhance Panama’s mission in protecting the country’s natural heritage, natural resources, and community involvement. During training sessions, Park Rangers were trained on the prevention of environmental crimes by continuing their involvement with surrounding communities. To highlight the importance of community relations, Global Conservation coordinated to have two Park Rangers from Costa Rica attend this training. These instructors provided examples on how they work with their community.
Global Conservation also coordinated additional training sessions with members of an environmental task force and an environmental prosecutor, who provided instruction on the prosecution system, crime scene management, evidence collection, and evidence documentation. Supervisors and rangers were introduced to the criminal and civil prosecution processes for environmental violations and received training on strengthening working relationships with allied agencies. In addition, Global Conservation coordinated environmental scientists to provide training blocks on the detrimental impacts of illegal mining and deforestation within national parks.
Supervisors and Park Rangers also had the opportunity to share the challenges they face and provided feedback on how Global Conservation could continue providing support.
