Junior ranger programmes
EUROPARC Atlantic Isles Conservation Without Frontiers
Anglesey junior rangers on the summit of Moel Siabod during an adventure weekend in Snowdonia Photo: Isle of Anglesey AONB
Junior ranger programmes A good practice guide for protected landscapes
Published in June 2013 as part of the project Establishing a Young Ranger Network funded by:
Youth in Action
Summary This guide has been produced with leading input from junior rangers and their mentors in four UK protected landscapes.
The value of junior ranger schemes It sets out why junior ranger programmes are of great benefit to young people, to ‘senior’ rangers and other protected landscape staff, and to the protected landscapes themselves.
Practical management Particularly for all those interested in establishing a young ranger scheme, the various practical management aspects of a junior ranger programme that require consideration are examined.
Activities Ideas for junior ranger activities are then proposed to help all those run their programmes with learning activities tested by junior rangers and their protected landscape coordinators. They grouped thematically with many practical and different things to do.
Vision for the future As the name of the project suggests, this good practice guide represents the first stage in developing a junior ranger network. The final chapter in this guide sets out how EAI would like to develop the network, for both junior rangers and protected landscapes.
Project participants at the first meeting in the Mendip Hills AONB 2
- Introduction History Junior ranger programmes were first established by the EUROPARC Federation in 2002-03 as part of a European pilot project. The network of protected areas running junior ranger programmes has grown considerably since then.
The initial guide to running programmes has since been revised to take a wide range of experiences into account and revised guidelines were published early in 2009, which we refer to in this guide. EUROPARC organises an international junior ranger camp each year in partnership with a partner protected area, which brings together junior rangers from across Europe.
Over the decade of their existence, junior ranger programmes have proved their value in including young people in the work of protected landscapes.
“One of the greatest challenges facing protected areas today is to find ways of demonstrating that the conservation of nature and culture and the sustainable use of natural resources have a fundamental relevance to people’s daily lives. The junior ranger programme is an ideal tool to foster strong and lasting bonds between local communities and their protected areas.” EUROPARC Federation junior ranger leaflet
Why this guide? There has been considerable interest across the UK in junior ranger schemes, and a number of protected landscapes are already running them. As an organisation EAI has brought rangers and other protected area staff together, and identified the need for a support network for those running junior ranger programmes.
As such the idea for this project “Establishing a Young Ranger Network” came to fruition. This guide is the first stage in developing a network for protected landscapes, their staff and the junior rangers themselves. To ensure that the most important perspectives were included, the work was led in tandem with junior rangers. The guide aims to include all the information that needs to be considered when setting up a junior ranger programme.
Details of planned future activities can be found in the final section of this guide.
We expect this guide to evolve in the coming months and years as the network acquires more experience on which to draw on and share, both in the Atlantic Isles and wider EUROPARC Federation networks. 3
Participants The project group met twice during the project, initially in the Mendip Hills AONB and then in the Northumberland Coast AONB.
A thank you to our participating junior rangers, their mentor rangers and protected landscapes, all of whom contributed material for this report: Cairngorms National Park Calum Crompton and Ben Fitzhugh, and Outdoor Learning Officer, Alan Smith Isle of Anglesey AONB Aaron Jones and Liam Ault, and Community Warden, Aled Lewis Mendip Hills AONB Laura Blanchard and project coach, Andy Mallender Northumberland Coast AONB Matthew McDonald-Smith, Ed Harrison, Laurence Reeves, with their guiding staff lain Robson and Shirley Wright EUROPARC Atlantic Isles Board Member Chris Gledhill and Development Adviser Richard Blackman
Participants at the second project meeting at Seahouses Youth Centre, Northumberland Coast. Photo: Andy Mallender
Note on terminology We have used the term ‘Junior’ Ranger throughout the text as this is the term that has been used by the EUROPARC Federation since it first developed the junior ranger programme back in 2002-03. We do appreciate that the term ‘Young’ Ranger may be more appropriate for some. 4
- Why junior ranger programmes are so valuable Since they first started junior ranger programmes have demonstrated a wide range of benefits to a number of groups, in particular: The young participants in junior ranger programmes The rangers and other staff mentoring junior rangers The protected landscapes running junior ranger programmes
Benefits for the young person The junior rangers who participated in this project, together with their mentor rangers, identified many fields in which junior ranger programmes have made a difference.
Educational: knowledge and skills The educational benefits, in particular in the acquisition of new skills and knowledge, were much commented on: Developing understanding and being inspired • Accessing a different opportunity Learning new skills Connecting with their communities and understanding their local environment Acquiring insights into possible career opportunities Raising environmental awareness
Personal development Similarly, all agreed on the opportunities for personal development:
“I have learnt that I can do things and that I don’t just have to follow others” Cairngorms Junior Ranger Chance to meet young people from different backgrounds Social aspects of the programmes Mentally stimulating Improving communication skills Meeting new people • Overcoming isolation that can be a problem in rural areas Good life experience Building confidence and self-esteem 5
Health and well-being There are also benefits in relation to mental and physical well-being: Outdoor exercise and physical activity Benefits physical and mental health • Improves coordination skills
Canoeing on the River Spey. Photo: Cairngorms National Park
Reputational Some even said that it helped to demonstrate that young people were good people: • Young people are seen in a positive light by adults
Benefits for protected landscape staff Junior ranger programmes have also provided a range of opportunities to rangers and other staff in national parks and AONBs. These include:
Professional development Collaborating on and coordinating junior ranger programmes helps to: Build experience of organising programmes and working with young people Gain new skills Add variety to work and provides opportunities to inspire others 6
Increase opportunities for rangers to work in partnership with other it couldn’t be done alone. Open up opportunities for sharing good practice with rangers from other places and countries – through junior ranger camps. Foster good professional development
Personal development As with the young people involved, it’s not just about the acquisition of knowledge and skills. It is also about developing as a person, as junior ranger programmes involve: • Meeting new people and developing relationships for the success of the programmes Sharing experiences and obtaining a sense of satisfaction from work Seeing the enthusiasm of the young rangers a really tangible outcome of the work • Seeing young people develop over the course of the programmes • Learning and gaining insights from young people
Focus on the role of the protected area Junior ranger programmes also help staff to look at their protected landscape from a different perspective. This helps to: Get back to the roots of what work is all about in the AONB, the national park, and outdoors • Open new doors for meeting targets for grants and funding
Benefits for the protected landscape In running junior ranger programmes, opportunities for the protected landscape also develop.
The Cairngorms National Park has described them in this short and informative video: http://cairngorms.co.uk/the-park/10th-anniversary/videos/ young-john-muirs
Strengthening links to the local community and local people Junior ranger programmes have shown themselves to be a good way to build ties with the local communities. The protected landscape can: Reach a sector of the community that is otherwise difficult to link up with Build support for the long-term, raise awareness and invest in the future Strengthen relationships with existing and new partner organisations and individuals. Enhance outreach. 7
“At Avon Wildlife Trust, as part of our Living Landscapes Project, we run a volunteer group on Tuesdays to restore Wildflower Meadows in the Chew Valley area within the Mendip Hills AONB. We’ve always had a very positive relationship with the AONB, and recently, this has taken the form of joint working parties involving our Grassland Restoration team and the Mendip Hills AONB Young Rangers. The benefits to both groups are evident. Our older team members illustrate a level of application, knowledge and hard work that impresses and stimulates the young people, whilst the GRT members very much appreciate the extra physical help, the enthusiasm of the young people and the opportunity to share their skills and their love of the landscape that is common to both groups.” Richie Smith, Living Landscapes Project Officer, Avon Wildlife Trust
“I realise and understand deeply the need for young people to be involved with nature and the environment” Cairngorms Junior Ranger
Opportunities for PR and advocacy With the focus on the role of the protected landscape within the community there is: A natural focus for promoting the landscape and raising awareness of the designation An opportunity for good public relations with positive stories A great opportunity to link up with young ambassadors and advocates, again investing in the protected landscape’s future
Junior rangers on Cairngorm with Ben Fogle. Photo: Cairngorms National Park 8
Helps with suitable tasks Junior ranger programmes are of course not alternatives to employment, but they can enable the protected landscape to: • Carry out work that wouldn’t be done without junior rangers Have important work done at low cost
Junior ranger assisting in the reeds. Photo: Northumberland Coast AONB
Mendip junior rangers pond-dipping. Photo: Mendip Hills AONB 9
- The practical management aspects of a junior ranger scheme The EUROPARC Federation updated and set out a number of guiding principles early in 2009 to ensure a certain harmonisation of standards amongst protected areas wishing to be part of the EUROPARC Junior Ranger network. These are set out here together (see page 17).
In line with these principles our group have also set out their experiences and recommendations on the practical management – the nuts and bolts – of junior ranger schemes. As a general remark, we would say don’t be too prescriptive. Diversity is important as an integral part of the common ethos.
Duration of junior ranger programmes and frequency of meetings A variety of approaches have been shown to work: Cairngorms National Park has a five day programme to start the process. A follow-on programme then begins. The follow-up activities are grouped regionally because of the large size of the park, and activities take place monthly but not in July and August.
(It is important to take into account regional factors, particularly in protected landscapes where distances are large).
The Northumberland Coast AONB has an ongoing programme, with activities taking place fortnightly all year round (but not including school holidays). The programme normally includes a residential weekend and a commitment to come to every session.
Participants on the secondproject meeting at the Farne Islands, Northumberland Coast AONB. Photo: Andy Mallender 10
The Mendip Hills AONB asks for a definitive commitment before junior rangers embark on their programme, which lasts two years with activities taking place monthly on Saturdays (but not including December or August).
The Isle of Anglesey AONB – has a selection process for its junior rangers, who meet monthly.
In terms of the minimum time commitment required to become a junior ranger, EAl recommends a minimum of five days. These could be run consecutively or over a period of time, depending on what is more appropriate regionally. Five days constitutes a good baseline and a good point at which to recognise the achievements of the young person. To maintain continuity and momentum it is also recommended that young rangers meet at least once a month, whether as part of the main programme or as follow-up to a five day course.
As the network develops, we also believe that planning UK-wide camps and gatherings will act as incentives to stay engaged and contribute to long term involvement!
Junior Rangers pond dipping at Insh marshes. Photo: Cairngorms National Park
Age range The European model is for young people between the ages of 11 and 18, i.e. those of secondary school age.
Experience has shown that within that range it is more straightforward if they are on the older side, as there are far more opportunities for outdoor activities. Of course there may be other activities elsewhere vying for the attention of junior rangers! 11
The Northumberland Coast AONB invites 13 to 19 year olds, but encourages participation beyond that upper limit.
There is though a natural exodus at 18 – 19 as young people enter higher education or the labour market.
Uniforms The issue of uniforms is best left to the organisers who can take into account local circumstances.
The Cairngorms National Park, Isle of Anglesey AONB and Mendip Hills AONB all provide uniforms to their junior rangers. This acts as a reward, helps foster a sense of belonging and generates identity, for example when junior rangers help out at stands on fairs.
On the other hand, the Northumberland Coast AONB does not provide a uniform, as the cost is rather high and they are reluctant to ask junior rangers and their families to contribute financially.
At some stage, EAl hopes to be in a position to provide equipment such as badges, caps or junior ranger branded clothing to recognise young persons’ achievements as junior rangers.
Mendip Junior Rangers with owl boxes. Photo: Mendip Hills AONB 12
Charging for participation There are often a number of local circumstances to consider, and parks have the freedom to choose whether to make a charge. Indeed, EAl recommends leaving this issue to the discretion of local organisers, who can respond to local circumstances.
The Mendip Hills AONB makes an annual charge of £50 for its junior rangers to participate in its scheme, which would include 10 meetings over the course of the year.
Of the other protected landscapes there has been a general reluctance to charge, primarily to ensure accessibility of the scheme and to build numbers. Where there is a special event, such as the EUROPARC international junior ranger camp or another exchange then a charge is made. Parks are looking at acquiring match funding
Safety The safety of participants is of utmost importance. As such organisers should operate within their organisation’s safety guidelines and adhere to current best practice. All adults should be disclosed. In essence, the organiser has a responsibility to operate safely.
Mendip young rangers undertaking fence construction. Photo: Mendip Hills AONB
Retaining members Maintaining the interest of junior rangers to ensure they keep coming back is vital. Here important factors include: • Having a friendly, family atmosphere and providing lunch Making sure there is always something to do, including regular events. 13
Learning through doing, with activities where junior rangers are constantly learning Organising camps with a variety of fun activities. The vast majority of activities should be outdoors. Indoor activities should be centred on practical skills such as first aid or navigation. There should be a choice of components in the programme that are attractive, fun, constructive and educational.
Keeping in touch All protected areas need to keep in touch with their junior rangers and their parents / guardians. Cairngorms National Park does this via e‑mail • Mendip Hills AONB does this via e‑mail to parents Northumberland Coast AONB use letters and e‑mails, as well as Facebook. Communication from the Isle of Anglesey AONB goes via the Youth Group Leader.
International and national exchange Junior ranger programmes are very much part of a wider international network and the fact that the EAl network is part of a bigger family exchange with protected landscapes elsewhere is to be positively encouraged. It may not necessarily be the immediate focus of parks’ own programmes though. Exchange is integral to the programme of the Cairngorms National Park, which has an exchange with the Bavarian Forest National Park and is looking to make it a tripartite partnership, potentially bringing in a Finnish national park. The Northumberland Coast AONB is seeking a partnership with a protected landscape in the Baltic States.
Participation in the EUROPARC international junior ranger camp is very much encouraged, and also in the revived youth conference that will run again in 2013 as part of the EUROPARC Federation’s 40th anniversary celebrations and in parallel to the main EUROPARC conference.
Although numbers at the international camp are limited, the benefits of exchange are clear and as such EAI would like to inaugurate its own summer camp. This would bring young people together from across the UK and Ireland, potentially even Iceland, and would also be a development opportunity for rangers.
Further information on the European Junior Ranger network can be found at http://www.europarc.org/what-we-do/junior-ranger-networ/ and also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Europarc-Junior-Ranger-Programme/ 266313873379549 14
Ranger collaboration Time to coordinate junior ranger activities should be built into staff job descriptions; these should be broad enough to include the time needed. Rangers can inspire!
The prime link is to the protected landscape; it will not always be able to be tied to a ranger service as not all protected landscapes, particularly AONBs, have them! http://cairngorms.co.uk/uploads/documents/Roaming_Rangers.pdf
Code of conduct There are a variety of approaches to the code of conduct, but all work for the respective protected landscapes. They are all set within the general ethos of junior ranger programmes, with everyone supporting each other. In many cases it will be self-regulating as junior rangers are motivated to be there.
The Northumberland Coast AONB’s code of conduct is unwritten, but all are aware of the common ethos and the expectations this entails. It is seen as a good idea. The Cairngorms National Park uses a simple statement:
“Everyone on Junior Ranger activities should behave in a dignified way that respects the religious, social and cultural beliefs and traditions of others.”
The Isle of Anglesey AONB has a parental disclaimer, whilst the Mendip Hills AONB presents a code of conduct on registration, signed by both parent and child.
Junior rangers working Photo: Northumberland Coast AONB 15
Recruitment This will depend on local circumstances.
In recruiting junior rangers Mendip Hills AONB target five schools, sending information to heads of year. It is the promoted in school through newsletters and, ideally, assemblies. Additionally, press releases are issued and the pro- gramme is promoted through the AONB website and newsletter.
The Cairngorms’ links are explained in this leaflet: http://cairngorms.co.uk/uploads/documents/Young_John_Muirs.pdf
Navigation Training for Mendip young rangers. Photo: Mendip Hills AONB 16
EUROPARC Federation’s guiding principles (from meeting in Zwieselerwaldhaus, December 2008)
Provide experiential, practical, fun and inspirational activities in your protected landscape/area, managed by rangers/field staff, according to the idea of “learning by doing” It is a non-discriminatory programme, which requires a professional approach and high quality standard; Aspire to promote high environmental standards; It addresses the promotion of international exchange, to develop positive, cooperative and social skills, and to encourage the active citizenship of youth; It provides a connection between the protected landscape/areas and “local” young people It is a partnership between rangers/field staff, the location and Europarc It has essential / recommended components that all participants can choose The activities are addressed to children and youth, starting from — at least — 11 years old The activities are coordinated by the park and managed by the rangers/staff It provides real nature conservation work experience, but can also include cultural and social topics A 5 day programme is the minimum required in each area or it is run on a regular period throughout the year There are follow-up activities supported by the management body We work in partnership with other local conservation and/or youth bodies We provide a uniform/branded clothing and other equipment for the participants The programme should become part of the ordinary work managed by Ranger Service/staff in collaboration with others involved in the area’s management We encourage the involvement of parents, partner bodies and/or the local community A certificate or award is given on completion to recognise achievements 17
- Great ideas for junior ranger activities There are lots of ideas for activities for junior rangers. We’ve grouped them in to a number of themed areas. Some have already been tried and tested!
Personal development Young ranger programmes are not just about acquiring knowledge. They are also about development as a person and take place in an environment away from school and the home. John Muir Award • Training: First Aid, navigation, manual handling, self-defence Representing the AONB at a show • Team building exercises and making friends Working alongside professionals Learning new skills. (Scotland – four capacities) Meeting people that you would not have met otherwise Meeting people with similar interests • Building confidence and self-esteem. Health agenda – physical and mental
Sharing at Glen Tanar. Photo: Cairngorms National Park 18
Farming and land use The relationship between farming and the protected landscape is often a fruitful area for activities: Forest garden Learning about local produce: production / food miles; sustainability / or- ganic farming (link to bushcraft) Local farming heritage and its management for biodiversity Farm visits – hands on stuff – milking, shearing, milling / baking Forestry – learning about history of the area and forest management Habitat management – grasslands, hedge and tree planting Barn owl project Dry stone walling Cheddar cheese – learning, visiting, making! Planting hedgerows Meeting people – putting faces to land use
A young ranger in the Mendip Hills learns to shear a sheep. Photo: Mendip Hills AONB
Historic environment and cultural heritage Another way to learn about the protected landscape is to explore its history. Dig; reconstruction; historic stories • Art projects; story telling Dry stone walling; reconstruction visit; castle visits; Roman ditches; coal mining 19
• Archaeology talk John Muir Museum (Cairngorms) Grace Darling Museum and fishing (Northumberland Coast) Distilleries and estate management
Landscape quality Learning about the management of the protected landscape and its role in landscape conservation can be another focus of activity. After all, this also raises awareness of the designation amongst an important group of people! Activities can include: Fixed point photo monitoring Big tree / hedge planting project – why not do this in all AONBs / national parks at the same time Litter picks Maintaining landscape for tourists Dry stone walling Habitat work Marine litter project, dry stone walling, whin grassland – copse control, dune grassland – sea buckthorn, invasive alien species
Junior rangers assisting with path repair. Photo: Cairngorms National Park 20
Biodiversity and geodiversity There are also lots of activities in which the protected landscape plays an impor- tant role related to nature conservation. Activity can accompany learning: Habitats not in your area visits to other areas Hidden wildlife camera Key local species project e.g barn owl boxes, red squirrel project Intertidal landscape Habitat management – grasslands, seabird colonies, woodlands and forestry Wetland management – ponds Otter holt construction Wildlife monitoring Work to help a range of animals Rock pooling, fossil hunting Rock climbing Education Whin grassland, also links to geodiversity
Rockpooling with the North Wales Wildlife Trust, Cemlyn, Anglesey. Photo: Isle of Anglesey AONB
Climate change Climate change will impact strongly on the lives of junior rangers. There are a number of ways in which this can be tackled. Through a shared junior ranger environmental policy Weather stations – with areas sharing information Ethos of the programme – throughout structure, reduce, reuse, recycle, mini- bus travel together, forest fires Examine studies of effects on habitats 21
Junior rangers in the Northumberland Coast AONB
Access, tourism and recreation Recreation and leisure activities are at the heart of protected landscapes’ work and there are many activities that act as a focus for junior rangers’ learning: Astronomy and dark skies Visitor surveys Mountain biking, hill walking Path maintenance Boardwalk construction on National Nature Reserve Climbing and abseiling Geo-caching and orienteering Castle and museum visits
Working in partnership Last but not least, young ranger programmes lend themselves to working with others in the community and provide a number of opportunities. These include: Positive PR of the wider benefit to the community. The local press in particular will be interested! • Funding: consider what is available free / cheap Local exchanges with nearby protected landscapes Sell the product! The local community may well be interested in supporting the activities. 22
Junior rangers caving in the Mendip Hills. Photo: Mendip Hills AONB
Junior ranger assisting at the Braemar Gathering. Photo: Cairngorms National Park
Don’t forget that a lot can be done without spending very much money! 23
What Sharing experience and training
- A vision for the future The project participants looked at what they wanted out of the network, how it should develop and what it might look like in three years time. It is assumed that this guide will have become well-established, and that it will have been updated to take on board experience as the network develops. Over the next few years more protected landscapes will begin to run junior ranger projects and become part of a growing junior ranger network. The network will support all schemes and some elements may run in common.
Junior ranger graduation at Glen Tanar. Photo: Cairngorms National Park For Junior Rangers EAl is facilitating information exchange between junior rangers. Twinning of junior ranger groups in AONBs and national parks can also facilitate this. A mentor network is developed with leadership training sessions for older junior rangers, to develop their abilities in mentoring and leading younger junior rangers. 24 For Mentor Rangers EAl is facilitating information exchange between mentor rangers. Good practice is shared at Continuing Professional Development events for ranger mentors, which are held regularly, at least on an annual basis. There is a need to complement other networks as people are generally over- committed. As such good practice could usefully be shared in an online network.
Information Annual UK Junior Ranger Camp Twinning Projects Influence Funding A Facebook page managed by junior rangers A set of downloadable resources, including across the network. The creation of a regular newsletter or magazine for junior rangers written by junior rangers has also been proposed. policies, health and safety information / risk assessments, codes of conduct, network contacts are online and available to all net- work members. A UK national (or Atlantic Isles wide) annual For mentor rangers the UK Junior Ranger gathering or camp is established for junior rangers. Annual UK ranger camp and national theme based training See also training on page 24. Given the variety of protected landscapes across the UK twinning and exchanges between different protected landscapes in different parts of the Atlantic Isles will be established. Exchanges or twinning programmes can be established with junior ranger programmes in other European countries, and the opportunities afforded by the EUROPARC Federation network fully utilised. A network-wide junior ranger project (or several) has commenced, led and coordinated by EAI. What can young ranger groups do to make a difference? Raising awareness of issues and doing something about them, e.g. litter in protected landscape. Themed weeks on a national dimension, e.g. tree week, nest box week, Beachwatch. A pilot project has involved junior rangers in the management and direction of their protected landscape. Once annual national junior ranger camps have become established, the possibility of setting up a “protected landscape parliament” for junior rangers is explored. There is a central fund managed by EAI for coordination purposes, including activities, camps, new start-ups etc. Possible partnerships with several potential funders have been explored. camp provides development and networking opportunities. Mentor rangers are benefitting from twinning arrangements – nationally and at European scale. Links have also been established to other complementary schemes, including John Muir Conserver Award Mentor rangers and their protected landscapes are fully involved in these joint projects. 25
Annex 1 Mendip Hills AONB Young Ranger Scheme Year One Programme 2011 – 2012
Date Activity/Event Meeting Place Time 15 September Welcome Evening 7.00pm to 8.30pm St Hugh’s Church, Charterhouse 24 September Introductory session and Mendip Ramble St Hugh’s Charterhouse 10.00am to 3.00pm 29 October Caving and Conservation St Hugh’s Charterhouse 10.00am to 3.00pm 26 November First Aid Course St Hugh’s Charterhouse 10.00am to 3.00pm There is no Young Rangers activity in December.
7 January Hen Harrier Survey St Hugh’s Charterhouse 1.00pm to 6.00pm and Kestrel Box Making 25 February Hawk Watch and Kestrel Box St Hugh’s Charterhouse 7.00am to 12.00pm installation 10 March Map Reading Skills and Navigation St Hugh’s Charterhouse 10.00am to 3.00pm 21 April Landscape Detectives St Hugh’s Charterhouse 10.00am to 3.00pm 26 May Somerset Earth Science Centre St Hugh’s Charterhouse 10.00am to 3.00pm 23 June Avalon Marshes and St Hugh’s Charterhouse 10.00am to 3.00pm Shapwick Heath Sat 7 — Sun 8 July Overnight Camp To be confirmed Contact details Email: amallender@somerset.gov.uk Tel: 01761 462 338 Mobile: 07775 027 396 26
Annex 1 Mendip Hills AONB Young Ranger Scheme Year two programme 2012 – 2013
Date Activity/Event Meeting Place Time 29 September Rock Climbing Charterhouse Centre car park 10.00am to 3.00pm 27 October Introduction to the John Muir Award and practical Charterhouse Centre car park 10.00am to 3.00pm conservation. 24 November Night walk and Astronomy Charterhouse Centre car park 4.00pm to 9.00pm There is no Young Rangers activity in December.
26 January Conservation day at Cheddar Charterhouse Centre car park 10.00am to 3.00pm Gorge with the National Trust 23 February Conservation day with the Charterhouse Centre car park 10.00am to 3.00pm Somerset Wildlife Trust. 23 March Archery & History of the Charterhouse Centre car park 10.00am to 3.00pm Mendip Hills 27 April Orienteering and Treasure Hunt Charterhouse Centre car park 10.00am to 3.00pm 18 May Visit to the Quantock Hills AONB Charterhouse Centre car park 10.00am to 4.00pm 15 June Farm Visits Charterhouse Centre car park 10.00am to 3.00pm 13 – 14 July Overnight Camp To be confirmed 10.00am Saturday to 12.00 noon Sunday Contact details Email: amallender@somerset.gov.uk Tel: 01761 462 338 Mobile: 07775 027 396 27