Country parks

The role of the park rangers

Patrolling

Patrolling forms a major part of the day – especially when the country parks are busy. It helps to:

• provide assistance to members of the public effectively;
• enforce park regulations and by-laws and prevent anti-social behaviour;
• respond efficiently to urgent tasks that need doing around the parks (such as litter picking) thus ensuring that the parks are properly maintained;
• monitor wildlife.

Park maintenance

To ensure that the parks remain in optimal condition for recreational use, the rangers undertake a variety of maintenance tasks including footpath repair, cutting back hedges, mowing and fencing. In particular, they carry out daily litter picking rounds (more in the summer) to ensure that the parks remain a pleasant area for recreation.

Habitat improvement and management

The parks are valuable refuges for many species of wildlife. Throughout the year, the rangers carry out sympathetic management schemes and habitat improvements to help protect and enhance the value of the habitats within the parks for wildlife. Schemes include tree planting, pond creation, grassland management and coppicing.

Interpretation and education

During the summer months, many schools visit the parks to study the natural environment. The rangers help organise and lead groups around the parks and carry out activities with them. In addition, they offer regular events that aim to increase public understanding about their local environment and the organisms that live within it.

The rangers aim to cater for all ages and tastes – events include children’s activity days, guided walks, fungal forays, evening lectures, kite making and bird-watching cruises.

As well as taking school groups and running events, rangers are also responsible for indirect interpretation – leaflets, visitor centre displays, trail markings, maps and external displays.

Wildlife monitoring and surveying

Wildlife monitoring is extremely important, as it allows the rangers to keep a check on the wildlife within each park. This in turn allows them to choose the management schemes that will most benefit the wildlife present.

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