Community Ranger Training:Forest
Protection & Law Enforcement
Training on Wildfire Prevention, Surveillance, and
Combatting Illegal Forest Activities
Organized by: MELCA ETHIOPIA
Date: 22/05/205, ADABA
2.
Training Objectives
• Enhanceknowledge on wildfire causes and
prevention
• Improve surveillance and forest patrol techniques
• Understand legal frameworks protecting forests
• Build capacity to report and deter illegal activities
• Foster collaboration among rangers and
communities
3.
Current Forest ProtectionPractices
• Surveillance is rotational and traditional
• Led by Participatory Forest Management
Committees (PFMCs)
• Relies heavily on voluntary committee members
• Limited training or tools for effective
enforcement
4.
Understanding Wildfire Causes
•Natural causes: Lightning, dry conditions
• Human causes: Uncontrolled fires, smoking,
cooking
• Slash-and-burn agriculture and charcoal
production
• Negligence during dry seasons
5.
Wildfire Prevention Techniques
•Fire breaks and buffer zones
• Clearing dry grass and debris regularly
• Community fire alert systems
• Training and equipping fire response teams
6.
Effective Forest Surveillance
•Daily and random patrols in high-risk zones
• Use of maps and GPS for patrol coverage
• Reporting signs of illegal activities
• Maintaining patrol logs and communication
7.
Illegal Activities toWatch For
• Illegal logging and timber transport
• Forest encroachment for farming
• Unregulated charcoal production
• Unauthorized settlements
8.
Legal Framework andResponsibilities
• National forest protection laws
• Community rights and responsibilities
• Penalties for illegal logging and burning
• How to support lawful enforcement actions
9.
Improved Community
Collaboration
• Engageyouth and elders in forest protection
• Create awareness on long-term impacts of
deforestation
• Reward reporting of illegal actions
• Build trust between rangers and community
10.
Group Exercise: ForestPatrol
Planning
• Design a patrol schedule for a week
• Identify hotspots for fire and logging
• Simulate a fire outbreak response
• Discuss communication during patrols
11.
Conclusion & NextSteps
• Adopt proactive surveillance and response
methods
• Apply legal knowledge and reporting skills
• Work closely with communities and FMCs
• Continue building local ranger capacity
Editor's Notes
#2 This training empowers local rangers with modern tools and understanding to improve forest protection.
#3 While commendable, current approaches are outdated and need support from trained rangers.
#4 Knowing the sources helps in prevention and community education.
#5 Preparedness reduces the spread and damage of forest fires.
#6 Structured surveillance increases forest protection and response time.
#7 Document and report all observations to local authorities or FMCs.
#8 Rangers are not law enforcers but are crucial in evidence gathering and reporting.
#9 Strong community ties make protection efforts more effective and sustainable.
#10 Interactive planning strengthens learning and ownership of responsibilities.
#11 With empowered rangers, forest protection can evolve into a reliable, proactive system.
![wildfire-prevention-campaign[1][1].pptx](https://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/wildfire-prevention-campaign11-230827144125-0a6887f1-thumbnail.jpg?width=640&height=640&fit=bounds)
