The Cairngorms National Park Junior Ranger Project is a fun and exciting way for young people aged 11-18 to learn about the outdoors. Accompanied by rangers and other services within the National Park, young people can take part in fun activities in protected areas, giving them the opportunity to become ambassadors for the Cairngorms. The Junior Ranger Programme operates throughout Europe and is part of the EUROPARC Federation.
There is no charge for young people to take part in the programme. The delivery of most of the activities is shared between all the ranger services in the National Park and other key partners. While some of the Junior Ranger equipment/resources are paid for by the CNPA (Cairngorms National Park Authority), the young people in the programme are also encouraged to take an active role in applying for grants and are involved in decisions about where the money is spent. Looking to the future, the Junior Ranger project will continue to help any young person interested in employment in outdoor, practical or environmental jobs.
As well as connecting young people with their local landscape and possible career prospects, these activities have sparked conversations about the global issues surrounding venison and food traceability. Each year venison is imported from New Zealand deer farms to be sold in supermarkets across Scotland, travelling over 11,000 food miles and creating a large carbon footprint.
Over a venison barbecue, the Junior Rangers learned that the sausages and burgers they were about to eat were from a stag shot by an expert stalker in the RSPB's Abernethy National Nature Reserve, hung and processed at a stag store near Nethy Bridge, and then made into sausages locally at Balliefurth Farm Shop. Using the exact grid reference where the shot was taken, they calculated the food miles to be just 11.
Young people can join the monthly Junior Ranger Programme and take part in a range of activities, with the opportunity to develop skills and understanding from the initial programme, use new skills in meaningful situations, act as youth ambassadors for the Cairngorms National Park, attend national camps and exchanges and achieve the Scottish Countryside Rangers Association Junior Ranger Award. The Junior Ranger Programme works with Ranger Services in and around the Cairngorms National Park to deliver a 5 day programme that includes: visits and talks, conservation tasks, outdoor activities, sharing experiences with friends and family, achieving the John Muir Discovery Award, graduating as a Cairngorms National Park Junior Ranger.
Find out more about the finalists for the Helping it Happen Awards 2023