As of: January 23, 2024, 5:00 p.m
By: Veronika Ahn-Tauchnitz
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In nature and landscape protection areas, the rangers ensure that everyone adheres to the rules, but also understands what a jewel there is to preserve here.
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There have been rangers in the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district for 40 years now.
Now, for the first time, a concept outlines their work and shows areas of action for the future.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen – The nature conservation rangers who work in the district do important work.
This goes far beyond punishing administrative offenses.
Rather, they sensitize people when dealing with nature and thus contribute to the preservation of habitats worth protecting.
Although the first ranger was hired 40 years ago, there was no comprehensive overview of the activities, responsibilities and areas of operation of the rangers.
That has changed since the most recent district environmental committee meeting.
Environment department head Anna Haußmann and Sabine Walter from the nature conservation department presented a comprehensive concept.
The first Ranger was hired 40 years ago
The nature conservation rangers are employees of the Lower Nature Conservation Authority and are organizationally assigned to the “Visitor Guidance” department in Subject Area 35 Environment.
They are used in nature and landscape protection areas.
The first Ranger was hired 40 years ago.
He was responsible for the “Isarauen” nature reserve between Schäftlarn and Bad Tölz.
The position was financed through a compensation payment for the construction of the water pipe to Munich by the area.
Another ranger was hired in 1985.
Since 2006, the positions have been financed through the district budget.
“We were the first district to have rangers,” recalled Haußmann.
Today several districts have such positions.
That is a sign of meaningfulness.
“We do not see income from administrative offenses as counter-financing for the positions”
The service areas are now divided into north and south.
The border is the weir at the Tölzer reservoir.
As the pressure to recover increases in the region, (part-time) positions have been expanded.
There are three rangers on the road in winter and eleven in summer.
Your area of responsibility is large.
It ranges from organizing excursions, kindergarten and school tours to participating in species protection measures and generally looking after the protected areas.
Of course, they also ensure that those seeking relaxation adhere to the rules and that misconduct is punished.
“We have income from these administrative offense proceedings, but we do not see them as counter-financing for the rangers’ offices,” emphasizes Deputy District Administrator Thomas Holz (CSU), who chaired the meeting.
“We are actually happy when the number of administrative offenses decreases,” as it shows that the rules in the protected areas are being adhered to.
Crimes are decreasing, but people are becoming more aggressive
And the number of procedures is actually decreasing.
It reached its peak in 2020.
On the one hand, day-trippers overran the region during the Corona period, and on the other hand, rangers were on the move at Walchensee for the first time after an increase in positions.
3,840 proceedings were initiated.
Last year there were only 590 (until the end of October). This shows that the rangers are helping to calm the region, especially the Walchensee protected area, says Haußmann.
However, there are always cases where rangers are massively threatened.
“The rangers notice that people are becoming more and more aggressive,” said Walter.
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Rangers would also be necessary in the digital world
For the future, the concept suggests hiring another ranger, at least for the north, in order to be able to adequately look after the area.
Of course, there are also protected areas in the district that require care.
The mountain regions are also currently not being served due to a lack of capacity.
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This also applies to the digital world.
Entries on outdoor platforms or “tips” on social media also attract visitors to places where they actually have no business and are causing massive damage to nature.
However, there is not enough capacity for targeted “digital rangers”.
One would also like to see more off-road vehicles in the district office's fleet.
“We only have one at the moment.
Therefore, appointments on site cannot be kept in some cases,” said Haußmann.
Bavarian state forests should contribute to the costs for the rangers
The work of the rangers is viewed extremely positively by the district environmental committee.
“My utmost respect for what they do,” said Holz.
“The work is very important and is successful,” added Georg Riesch (FW).
You shouldn't do without it, especially at Walchensee.
“We shouldn’t shake that.” However, we also have to keep an eye on the costs.
“We want to expand the fleet and jobs.
“We’ll get close to half a million,” estimated Riesch.
Personnel costs currently amount to a good 300,000 euros per year.
“We should get third parties on board to participate,” he suggested.
After all, services are also provided here on areas that do not belong to the district, said the former mayor of Jachenau, referring to the Bavarian state forests.
“That is absolutely correct.
We will approach them,” promised Holz.
Since the Tölz forestry manager will soon become a member of the board of the Bavarian State Forests, “he will soon have much more influence,” said the deputy district administrator happily.
The district committee will discuss the new positions on January 29th
However, the state forests have also been involved so far.
For example, they ensured orderly parking and traffic conditions on the south bank of Walchensee by installing a barrier solution on the toll road.
The environmental committee approved the concept.
The position plan will be discussed at the district committee meeting on Monday, January 29th.