The European Ranger Project was a two year project (August 1998 - July 2000) developed and managed by Losehill Hall, in partnership with the International Ranger Federation and funded by the Jacobs Foundation of Switzerland.
There were three main objectives of the project:
A Steering Group consisting of representatives of Ranger Associations and Ranger Training Centres from across Europe monitored the progress of the Project and gave advice on the implementation of the objectives.
Extensive consultation of rangers across Europe by questionnaire and use of the website (www.euroranger.com)
gave a picture of current ranger training provision across Europe and where improvements could be made.
Following the recommendations from this consultation process, the Project Steering Group has written a European Standard for Ranger Training based on the
Six Losehill Principles.
The second objective of the project was to develop and pilot a European Youth Ranger Scheme in which participants would undertake a series of self-motivated projects in co-operation with professional rangers, with study units corresponding to the six core elements (the Losehill Principles) identified as being fundamental to the work of a ranger.
The detailed programme for the pilot was devised after discussion with rangers and with people involved in working with
young people. Information from previous youth camps, and opinion from young people attending those camps, was incorporated in the proposal.
Between January and July 2000 pilot schemes were commenced in Austria, England (2), Germany (3), Portugal, Scotland (2), Slovakia (2), Sweden
and Wales, involving 16 rangers and 33 young people, many of whom were from disadvantaged backgrounds. A summary of the responses to the pilot
scheme clearly indicates the benefits that the young people considered that they had achieved. Following participation in the Youth/Ranger
Pilot Scheme several young people have been successful in obtaining employment or in being accepted for a place at college.
Although the initial Project did not include an International Youth Camp, the Steering Group decided that it would be appropriate to
complete the two years of the programme and the six months of the Youth/Ranger Pilot Scheme with a camp and seminar for the rangers and
young people who had participated in the pilot scheme.
The camp was held in July 2000 under canvas at the Peak District National Park's Fieldhead camp site in Edale with a full programme of
activities. This was followed by a two day programme of seminars and workshops at Losehill Hall to assess the results of the Youth/Ranger
Pilot Scheme.
The third project objective was to establish a detailed database of existing training and development procedures amongst the professional
ranger services of Europe. In order to do this a questionnaire was developed and distributed to rangers across Europe.
Contacts were made with 1057 parks, organisations and individuals across most of Europe. From the 48 countries in Europe identified, 42
were contacted. Approximately 5000 questionnaires were sent out.
Data from the questionnaires was entered into a database and analysed. A 'Training and Youth Links Database Report' outlining the findings of
the research was produced and circulated early in 2000.
The final meeting of the project Steering Group agreed the following main conclusions and actions for the future: