Eugenia Mkhatshwa; – Senior section ranger in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park
Rangers reporting to Eugenia, patrol the Tsitsikamma coastline, which includes the recently rezoned areas to allow local communities to fish in a Marine Protected Area (MPA). They police the forest areas as well.
“Growing up in the Eastern Cape between the borders of East London and King Williams Town, I naturally wanted to become a forester. After tertiary training, I joined the Department of Forestry as a forest conservator in 1998. I was one of the people transferred from the Department to South African National Parks (SANParks),” says Eugenia.
Favourite place in the park?
“I absolutely love going to the viewpoint (part of the multi-day Dolphin hiking trail) and taking a deep breath when I feel overwhelmed. There I can look the combination of forest, fynbos and ocean right in the face. It makes protecting the mountain to ocean catchment that is Tsitsikamma worthwhile.
Advice for aspiring rangers?
“Passion is what will sustain you, so it’s important to have an unshakable love for nature. Then it’s crucial to be able to listen and be patient. You’ll start out feeling small and then grow into your role which by the way, you must carve out for yourself in a male-dominated world. You’ll need layers upon layers of tolerance, patience, and be prepared to put in hours of work- you may not necessarily see the outcome of.”
