Guardians of Upemba: Site Manager’s Farewell to Our Heroes

Today, we gather to honor and celebrate the retirement of 23 of our Upemba National Park rangers. This is a moment filled with emotion, respect, and gratitude for those who have dedicated their lives to protecting our natural heritage.

Our rangers are not just workers. They are silent heroes, tireless guardians who, over the decades, have watched over Upemba—its forests, its rivers, and the precious wildlife it shelters. Their mission has never been easy. It has led them to face immense challenges, often in extreme conditions, with limited resources, yet with a determination that commands admiration.

Some of you have devoted more than 40 years of your lives to this noble cause. Throughout this time, you have been the shield against the threats to our biodiversity. You have endured periods of uncertainty, faced difficult choices, and yet, you remained steadfast in your commitment. You have protected, taught, and inspired, even when the odds seemed insurmountable.

I can say without hesitation that some of the most difficult moments I have experienced were here. But I cannot even begin to imagine what it has been like for you. You have endured relentless pressures, attacks, and hardships—situations where many would have given up. And yet, you are still here today, standing before us. Your presence is proof that, even in the darkest times, true guardians never surrender. Your courage, endurance, and resilience are a lesson to us all.

This is a joyful moment because, for once, we bid farewell to our rangers—not in death, as we have had to do for some of our colleagues—but in celebration. This is the kind of farewell we should always have, and we hope to experience many more like this, in happiness. Even though there are tears today, they are filled with gratitude for a job well done, not sorrow. You leave with your heads held high, knowing that your contribution is forever etched in our hearts and in the history of conservation.

Your departure today is a moment of joy because you finally deserve this well-earned rest. You have long expressed this wish, and we are happy that you can now enjoy it. But it is also a moment of great loss for us. We lose mentors, role models, and pillars of our community. Your knowledge, experience, and bravery are irreplaceable.

But know this: you are not leaving the Upemba family; you are simply passing the torch to a new generation who will continue the work you started. You have laid the strong foundations upon which we will keep building to preserve our environment. Your legacy will live on through those who follow in your footsteps.

So, on behalf of all those who have had the privilege of working alongside you, on behalf of those you have protected, guided, and supported, I say: THANK YOU. Thank you for your dedication, for your sacrifices, for these years of exemplary service. We wish you a peaceful retirement, surrounded by your loved ones, with the pride of a job well done and the eternal gratitude of our entire community.

Thank you, our rangers, our heroes.