7TH WORLD RANGER CONGRESS, 4-9 November 2012

    Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, near Arusha National Park, northern Tanzania

    Tanzania is the birthplace of the African game ranger and the safari destination of the world. A remarkable 40% of its land has been set aside for conservation.

It is also home to the world-renowned Serengeti National Park, with its vast plains supporting the largest wildlife concentrations on earth; the mighty and immense Selous Game Reserve supporting Africa’s largest elephant, buffalo, sable and wild dog populations and the magical Ngorongoro Crater, where wildlife abounds around every corner.

And yet there is more to Tanzania than just safaris. There is Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak on the continent; Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa, the three largest freshwater bodies in Africa.

Then, of course, there is the magical ‘spice island’ of Zanzibar, the highlight of the Indian ocean coastline studded with postcard perfect beaches, stunning offshore diving sites and mysterious medieval ruins. It doesn’t stop there, Tanzania is mirrored by a cultural diversity embracing 120 district tribes: from the iconic Maasai pastoralists of the Rift valley, the Arab influenced Swahili coast and the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers of Lake Eyasi.

This is Tanzania, the destination for the 7th World Rangers Congress which which will take place at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, near Arusha from 4 - 9 November 2012.

The Congress will be of considerable value to conservation in the East Africa region and will assist in raising the profile of rangers and especially the emerging community ranger sector of Tanzania. Not only does the growing ranger community of this region require much support, encouragement and capacity building to help ensure the effective management of the outstanding natural assets under their care in this remarkable part of the African continent, but it will also be of meaningful value to all rangers who attend from around the world. The Congress is to play an important part as a step forward in the longer term process of better supporting rangers and protected areas in the region and elsewhere.