After two years

Exam passed! Eight new National Park Rangers

At the certificate presentation: NPHT Director Hermann Stotter, Christoph Dietmaier, Sophie Thaler, Elisabeth Fladerer and Armin Kofler with LR René Zumtobel (from left)

(Bild: Land Tirol/Knabl)

After two years of training, eight participants in the Hohe Tauern National Park (NPHT) ranger training program can now look forward to a new profession. Four are already employed in Tyrol.

The two-year training phase for eight prospective national park rangers in the Hohe Tauern National Park (NPHT) came to an end with the final oral examination at the beginning of December. Until then, the participants had to complete 32 days of training and numerous practical days with just as many hours of learning. Now they have finally received their certification as "Austrian National Park Rangers".

The trained rangers are allowed to work in the alpine landscape of the Hohe Tauern. Their extensive areas of responsibility include knowledge about the creation of the NPHT and its cultural history, as well as passing on specialist knowledge about animal and plant species. They are also allowed to teach in the 17 partner schools in East Tyrol.

When talking to our new National Park Rangers, you can sense their infectious enthusiasm for nature and the National Park. Imparting knowledge and raising awareness are core tasks in every protected area.

LR René Zumtobel

Work in the NPHT already secured
What is special about this course is that four of the eight rangers have already been working in the NPHT since the start of their training. Christoph Dietmaier, Elisabeth Fladerer, Armin Kollreider and Sophie Thaler are already fully committed to supporting the National Park. The other four graduates have mastered the necessary courses alongside their actual day jobs. There are now 14 full-time rangers working in East Tyrol.

"When talking to our new national park rangers, you can sense their infectious enthusiasm for nature and the national park. Imparting knowledge and raising awareness are core tasks in every protected area," explains LR René Zumtobel.