Junior Ranger programs go beyond simply informing kids about parks and teaching them how to care for public areas. The Junior Ranger program’s primary objectives are to develop knowledge of nature, the environment, plant and animal preservation, and resource conservation among children and young people (Become a Junior Ranger, n.d.). Therefore, the duties of a junior ranger are regarded as an essential part of environmental and general education.
The scope of work of a junior ranger is broad and depends on the different variables, such as type of area, program curriculum, etc. (Azevedo & Thompson, 2020). There are some general functions that can be generalized and be applicable to almost every junior ranger. Junior Rangers investigate and study their natural surroundings, as well as their cultural and historical legacy, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the natural protected setting (Hodges, 2019). They share their stories with their relatives and friends, acting as advocates for environmental and biological preservation (Junior Rangers, n.d.). Junior Rangers get fresh experiences and views that help them develop environmentally-conscious thinking for a sustainable future and improve their collaborative decision-making.
The objectives of the junior ranger:
- Promotion of ecological sustainability. This is done by promoting public awareness of the need for environmental preservation in their own surroundings (Texas Park, 2020). Children not only help to safeguard the environment and wildlife, but they also teach others around them, fostering an ecologically conscious lifestyle.
- Assistance to the professional rangers. Junior Rangers can assist their colleagues in such tasks as counting endangered birds, supervising equipment, and maintaining a clean environment (Nationale Naturlandshaften, 2018). Together with resource management and stewardship, it provides the children with an enriching job experience committed to land protection (Become a Junior Ranger, n.d.).
The junior ranger work is a serious challenge that will be beneficial in the future.
The deliverables of the junior ranger work:
- The near-work experience. Assisting colleagues, adhering to the discipline, working and uniform etiquette, and working in a team contribute to the future employment of the kids and prepare them for adult life (Tormey, 2019).
- Maintaining a network of like-minded people. The exchange of experience, meeting new friends, and taking advice from professionals is essential part of the junior ranger routine (Lamb, 2020).
- Ecological protection. Being an integral part of ecological protection, an issue, the importance of which is hard to overestimate nowadays.
- Education about the dangers of ecological problems. A junior ranger serves as a bridge to his peers and parents.
The Junior Ranger Program is a worldwide phenomenon aimed at different specific goals but sharing the adherence to the protection of the natural environment. The examples of several programs can be beneficial to emphasize. For instance, the German Junior Ranger Program, covering all national parks in Germany, has its specific branches, such as “Seal Ambassador,” which specializes in the grey seal population (Nationale Naturlandshaften, 2017). Another example is the Australian Alice Springs program, offering, besides standard ranger’s tasks, nature journalism for those interested in becoming a journalist in the future (Alice Springs Junior Ranger program, 2019). Thus, junior rangers nowadays are an essential part of ecological awareness and environmental protection.
References
Alice Springs Junior Ranger program (2019) Northern Territory Government. Web.
Azevedo, P. C., & Thompson, J. L. (2020). 17. Learning Historic Places with Diverse Populations: Making the Case for Teacher-Ranger Professional Development. In America’s Largest Classroom (pp. 201-216). University of California Press.
Become a Junior Ranger (n.d.). Web.
Hodges, Sh. (2019). How some families are using the Junior Ranger Program to educate their kids. REI. Web.
Junior Rangers (n.d.). Web.
Lamb, A. (2020). Family Togetherness: A Dozen Ideas to Bridge School and Home. Teacher Librarian, 48(1), 54-59.
Nationale Naturlandshaften. (2018). Guidelines for the National Junior Ranger Programme. EUROPARC Deutschland.
Nationale Naturlandshaften. (2017). The German Junior Ranger Program. EUROPARC Deutschland.
Texas Park. (2020). Texas State Parks Junior Ranger Activity Journal. TPWD.
Tormey, D. (2019). New approaches to communication and education through geoheritage. International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, 7(4), 192-198.