Recording monitoring data for bird studies © ProAves

Forest guards use camera traps to identify rare and reclusive wildlife © ProAves

Rainforest Trust supports 30 forest guards © ProAves

November 17, 2014

In the last 40 years, the earth has lost half of its wildlife. Defending what remains is the job of the world’s forest guards.

Among other things, forest guards play an instrumental role in patrolling borders, observing wildlife, deterring poachers, and educating local communities.

“It’s hard to imagine a more difficult – or rewarding – job than being a forest guard. Guards work long hours in difficult, often wet conditions, sometimes away from their families for a month at a time, and on modest salaries,” said Christine Hodgdon, International Conservation Manager for Rainforest Trust. “We wouldn’t enjoy the wildlife we have today were it not for forest guards – they are the gatekeepers to our reserves.”

Protected areas in many developing nations, however, lack necessary funds to hire guards. Even reserves lucky enough to have guards are many times understaffed. The World Institute for Conservation & Environment (WICE) estimates that only a quarter of forest guards needed to adequately protect reserves are currently employed.

Rainforest Trust supports the work of over 30 forest guards in 25 reserves across Latin America, many in Colombia and Ecuador. Guards typically earn monthly salaries of $500, including health care and pension.

“Supporting the work of forest guards is not only the most effective way to protect wildlife, it’s also one of the most economical ways of doing so,” said Dr. Paul Salaman, CEO of Rainforest Trust. “To ensure that the reserves we establish are not just ‘paper parks,’ but that they really protect wildlife, we make sure our reserves are properly staffed with forest guards. While the investment is rather minor, the payoff is enormous.”

As challenges to protected areas grow and evolve, so does the need for more well equipped guards. To meet these needs, Rainforest Trust has announced the creation of a new Sustainability Fund that will provide ongoing support to in-country partners and forest guards. The fund acts as an endowment for long-term conservation needs, such as supplying forest guards with salaries, training, education, equipment, and housing.

“Many protected areas have forest guard staffs that are underfunded and ill prepared to face obstacles in the field,” said Salaman. “The Sustainability Fund will ensure that the guardians in our reserves are well-trained and well-equipped, ready to meet serious challenges on a daily basis.”

Forest guard positions offer gainful employment to men and women, many times from rural communities, suffering from a lack of economic opportunities. This is particularly valuable in areas where many jobs are linked to the unsustainable extraction of environmental resources such as poaching, logging, and mining. The Sustainability Fund will help ensure that constructive employment opportunities exist in communities surrounding protected areas Rainforest Trust has helped establish.

“Forest guards dedicate their lives to protecting the animals that enrich our lives,” said Hodgdon. “Many guards have rejected better paying employment opportunities, usually ones that involve the exploitation of natural resources, to successfully pursue their dreams of environmental protection. Their efforts are an inspiration for everyone that cares about our planet’s biodiversity. ”