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Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority

Junior Rangers Mountains 路 Rivers 路 Wetlands

The Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority (MRCA) Junior Ranger skill development. This 10 week program, led by MRCA park naturalists, includes thinking, community service, teambuilding, and leadership skills, all while Orientation Find out what the Junior Ranger program is all about! Our knowledgeable and friendly park staff will provide an overview of the MRCA and our Junior Ranger program. To break the ice, we incorporate team building activities that engage the new Junior Rangers. This is the time to address any questions before embarking on this exciting, new adventure.

Skills Gained: Teamwork, Group Communication

River Ecology (River Unit) Not a traditional river, the Los Angeles River has seen many changes to its form and function. Junior Rangers investigate the Mediterranean climate that has formed the river and the interdependent types of life in and around it. As the lesson flows to its end, Junior Rangers will have gained a greater respect for their local watershed, river dynamics, and the Los Angeles River.

Skills Gained: Resource Protection, Critical Thinking

Watershed What world traveler may have fallen on a dinosaur’s nose and now resides in a bottle? Yes, it’s a drop of water! Water is our most precious resource and necessary for life on Earth. Follow the incredible journey of a water droplet through the water cycle and our local watershed and discover how vital water is to wildlife, humans, and the environment.

Skills Gained: Water Conservation Techniques, Water Purification

Wetlands Ecology (Wetlands Unit) Junior Rangers dive into the uniqueness of a wetland and how it serves the many animal and plant residents, including the human ones next door. While hiking through Ballona Wetlands, Junior Rangers analyze historical and current conditions of the wetland and come to their own conclusions about its future and their part in it.

Skills Gained: Resource Protection and Critical Thinking

Wildlife Observation and Identification Ever wonder what bird is singing that beautiful song? Or what kind of insect is crawling along the trail? By tuning out urban distractions, Junior Rangers discover their five senses are important tools for spotting and identifying wildlife. Using field guides and other tools, Junior Rangers identify animals that live in local habitats and in their own backyard.

Skills Gained: Field Guide Use, Binocular Use, Heightened Senses

Outdoor Skills Planning, packing and preparing are key elements for an enjoyable adventure. Using the outdoors as their classroom, Junior Rangers develop outdoor etiquette through role-playing and learn that having a positive attitude helps at all times. This lesson serves as a building block for their outdoor exploration and creates outdoor enthusiasts that respect nature.

Skills Gained: Hiking Preparation and Planning, Backpack Packing

Mountain Ecology (Mountain Unit) How are a rock, a rabbit, and an acorn related? Junior Rangers find out through interactive games where they run, jump and immerse themselves in concepts of the local mountains’ food web, habitat essentials, and population changes. Before they know it, the way they view the environment around them will have changed forever.

Skills Gained: Resource Protection, Critical Thinking

Orienteering Junior Rangers develop a deeper understanding of maps and try their hand at using a compass in this lesson full of adventure. Should their journeys ever go awry, the simple steps to assure they are found safely are also taught. Once the basics have been mastered, the thrilling culmination is a challenging orienteering course which they can only use a map, compass, and wits.

Skills Gained: Map Reading and Compass Use

Program is designed as an introduction to the outdoors, focusing on exploration and hands-on lessons on natural and cultural resources, basic outdoor skills, scientific encouraging stewardship both in the parks and in participant’s own communities.

Basic First Aid Injuries happen within the blink of an eye and Junior Rangers learn how to respond. After discussing basic first aid actions, Junior Rangers try some hands on skills like wrapping a sprained joint. Then they test themselves with common health situations and by working together come up with the right solution. The next time Junior Rangers face a paper cut or sprained ankle, they will feel confident to provide care for themselves and others.

Skills Gained: Basic First Aid Leave No Trace Manners are good skills to have no matter where you go or what you are doing. Junior Rangers learn outdoor etiquette through an interactive journey of questions, discussions and activities about the seven Leave No Trace principles. They come away prepared for future hikes and camping trips as they learn to maintain the integrity and character of the outdoors for all living things.

Skills Gained: Leave No Trace Service in Action Throughout the year nature has given Junior Rangers plenty of remarkable moments in their journey and now it’s time to give back.

Junior Rangers gain a sense of accomplishment as they complete their service project and cultivate their stewardship values.

Skills Gained (vary by project): Invasive Plant Removal, Native Plant Restoration, Trail Maintenance

Science in Action Scientific inquiry is just one more way to aid and explore nature. Junior Rangers learn to use scientific tools of the trade and get their hands dirty with a specialized project. Upon completion of the project Junior Rangers are sure to walk away with some new skills and insight into how science can improve their local parks and watershed.

Skills Gained (vary by project): Binocular Use, Bioacoustics tool use, Plant Identification, Scientific Method Camping Trip Whether Junior Rangers are seasoned campers or have never seen a dark sky full of stars, this camping trip will show them the joys of ‘roughing it’. Setting up tents, cooking over a fire, and hiking at night are just some of the adventures to be had. As a grand finale activity, this trip challenges and instills confidence in Junior Rangers as they prepare to graduate.

Skills Gained: Tent Set-up, Outdoor Cooking, Star Identification Graduation Pictures, memories, and joy summarize an MRCA Junior Ranger Graduation. This culminating event celebrates Junior Rangers’ dedication and commitment to the program in the company of friends, family and community partners. These graduates finish the program with a set of skills that prepare them to be outdoor leaders in their community.

Skills Gained: Public Speaking

About the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) was created in 1985 with a mission to protect and preserve park and open space lands surrounding Los Angeles and is a joint powers authority between the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. The MRCA continually strives to make these lands accessible to all residents of Southern California.

Anahuak Youth Soccer Association and Compton Junior Posse are two examples of partnering organizations for our Junior Rangers program.

Interested in partnering with us?

Partnership organization should: • Be an organized group such as scout troop, Boys and Girls Club, community group, or after school program • Have an adult liaison for program • Have their own transportation • Be dedicated to full 10 lesson program Cost: Fee-based program, though subsidized grant funding may be available.

For information, please call 818-878-0866 ext. 228

Junior Rangers

A program of the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority with a grant from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

To learn more about the MRCA and our parks: www.mrca.ca.gov www.lamountains.com www.facebook.com/lamountains