Junior Ranger Program Promises Outdoor Fun at Greenbrier State Park

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BOONSBORO — Outdoor fun and a hands-on learning await Maryland’s Junior Rangers at Greenbrier State Park this summer! For nearly 20 years, this popular Maryland Park Service program has offered young people grades K-6 the opportunity to explore and experience wildlife, insects, plants, trees, outdoor living and other natural treasures as Junior Rangers.

This unique learning opportunity runs for two, three–week programs on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a morning and afternoon session each day. The morning session runs from 10 A.M. until 12 P.M. and is for children in kindergarten through third grade. The afternoon session is from 2 P.M. until 4 P.M. and is for children in fourth through sixth grade. The first program starts June 21 and the second on July 26. A campout celebrating the end of both programs will be held August 18.

In addition to learning through games, activities and crafts, the Junior Rangers will learn about being a Maryland Park Ranger. They will have the opportunity to meet a park ranger and learn about his/her job.

The cost of the Junior Ranger Program at Greenbrier State Park is $15 per child including workbook sheets and materials. Lunch and snacks will not be provided and campers should dress for the outdoors and wear sturdy shoes. Space is limited and parents are encouraged to reserve a spot in the program for their child by calling Gaela Murphy at (301) 791-4656. For more information about the Junior Ranger Program visit, http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/jrranger.html.

DNR hosts a variety of summer programs and activities for kids including Outdoor Discovery Camps, Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs clinics and Environmental Education Day Camps. For more information on all of DNR’s summer camp offerings, visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/mydnr/summer_camps.html.

The Maryland Park Service, a division of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), oversees 48 state parks, seven natural environmental areas, and 23 natural resource management areas.

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June 9, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov