It is now possible for kids to become a Junior Forest Ranger! The National Parks have offered this for a long time, and it is now offered on this level too.

Becoming a Junior Forest Ranger

Download the Adventure Guide, and print it.

This is from the guide:

ON THE WAY TO THE FOREST

Make the miles fly by! Here are fun things to do on your way to the national forest. Use a notebook or separate piece of paper.

• Keep a Forest Log: Record the “Date,” “Weather Conditions,” your “Location,” and (briefly) “What Happened” on your way to the national forest. Note if weather conditions change during the trip. You’ll be glad you did!

• Get Map Smart: Study a map of where you’re going. Knowing how to read a map helps keep you safe in the forest.

• Write “Forest Ranger” Words: See how many words you can make from the letters in FOREST RANGER. What’s the longest word you can make?

BEING SAFE IN THE FOREST—A CHECKLIST

Top 10 Things To Bring to the Forest (along with an adult!)

1. Clothing (something warm, extra socks, rain gear).

2. Map/compass—always know where you are and where you are going.

3. First aid kit.
4. Food and water (bring extra).
5. Flashlight (with extra bulb and batteries).

WHEN YOU’RE IN THE FOREST...

6. Insect repellent.
7. An emergency shelter.
8. Sunscreen/sunglasses.
9. Pocketknife (carried by the adult).
10. Waterproof matches (carried by the adult).

• Before hiking, tell someone where you are going and when you will return. • Stay on marked trails.
• Obey signs and forest ranger instructions.
• Watch out for dead trees and tree limbs.

• Take out what you bring in.
• Let adults handle matches.
• Make sure the campfire is dead before you leave the area.

Here is the site with this information.