The City of Kerkrade is looking for Garden Rangers with a passion for nature

The City of Kerkrade is participating in the "Tuinrangers" program and is looking for enthusiastic residents who have some gardening experience and would like to volunteer to provide free gardening advice to their neighbors.  

Garden Rangers is an initiative of the Steenbreek Foundation and IVN Nature Education. Garden Rangers are volunteers with a love of nature who want to share their passion with garden owners. Gardens play an important role in the fight against drought, heat, and the loss of nature. Well-designed flower beds, trees, or flowering hedges attract animals such as bees and butterflies, provide shade, and enhance the living environment. 

Alexander Geers (Public Spaces): "The quality of our streets isn't determined solely by parks and public gardens. Green front yards also make a difference. They bring more greenery to the neighborhood and help make Kerkrade a more attractive place."

Nicolle Heijltjes (Sustainability): "We can’t build a sustainable and green city on our own as a municipality—we need to do it together with our residents. Through the Garden Rangers program, residents help one another make their gardens greener, more climate-resilient, and richer in nature. In this way, residents themselves contribute to a future-proof Kerkrade."

Education 

Before they begin their work, the volunteers receive thorough training from IVN Nature Education. Afterward, they provide garden owners with accessible, tailored advice on how to bring their gardens to life and make them more resilient to flooding and drought. Even small changes can make a difference.

Garden Rangers receive helpful informational materials to take with them. They work together as a team but also go out on their own; they have flexible schedules and receive excellent support for their volunteer work.

Garden Rangers work with residents to figure out how to make their gardens more natural and greener. “As a Garden Ranger, you really make a difference,” says Esmée, one of the Garden Rangers. “You enthusiastically help residents make their gardens more nature-friendly. That’s how we’re building a greener city together, one garden at a time.”

Information Evening, November 10, 2026

Would you like to become a Garden Ranger in this municipality? Then come to the information evening at the Botanical Garden on November 10 from 7:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. We’ll explain exactly what being a Garden Ranger entails; there will be time to ask questions, check out the materials, and discover how you can make a difference as a Garden Ranger.

For more information and to register for the information session, visit www.tuinrangers.nl/word-tuinranger