TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, July 18, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Recognizing Latino Conservation Week, the Florida State Parks Foundation announced today that 27 Florida State Parks in Central and South Florida now have Spanish-translated Junior Ranger kits available in print. While previously available virtually, this is the first time the kits have been printed in Spanish. A $25,000 grant from the Batchelor Foundation provided more than 6,000 translated kits.

Since the beginning of Florida State Parks’ Junior Ranger program in 2014, over 17,000 Junior Rangers have been trained. The Junior Ranger program provides the opportunity for young people to learn, serve and share Florida's natural and cultural resources.

“We are thrilled these kits are now available starting this summer, and that this partnership enhances the ability of Spanish-fluent youth to actively participate in the Junior Ranger program,” said Tammy Gustafson, Florida State Parks Foundation President. “Increasing environmental education access for our Florida students is an important part of engaging children in understanding the importance of preserving, protecting and sustaining our natural resources.”

The program covers four components of a park ranger’s job: natural resources, cultural resources, recreation and service. Students complete the six CORE Activities from the kit and turn them in to park staff to receive their Official Junior Ranger patch.

Printed Spanish-translated Junior Ranger kits are available at the following Florida State Parks:
Hillsborough County -- Little Manatee River State Park, Alafia River State Park, Hillsborough River State Park and Ybor City Museum State Park
Highlands County -- Highlands Hammock State Park
Hardee County -- Paynes Creek Historic State Park
Sarasota County -- Myakka River State Park and Oscar Scherer State Park
Collier County -- Collier-Seminole State Park and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park
Lee County -- Koreshan State Park
St. Lucie County -- Fort Pierce Inlet State Park and Savannas Preserve State Park
Martin County -- Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Palm Beach County -- John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
Broward County -- Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park
Miami-Dade County -- The Barnacle Historic State Park, Oleta River State Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Monroe County -- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, Long Key State Park, Curry Hammock State Park, Bahia Honda State Park and Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Visit the Florida State Parks website for more information about Junior Ranger en Espanol.

The Florida State Parks Foundation, founded in 1993 as Friends of Florida State Parks and renamed in 2018, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to support and help sustain the Florida Park Service, its 175 award-winning parks and trails, local Friends groups and more than 20,000 park volunteers.

It does this through programs that preserve and protect state parks, educate visitors about the value of state parks, encourage community engagement and active use of state parks, and advocacy. The volunteer Board of Directors represents private and public sectors as well as local and statewide interests. This project was completed by the Florida State Parks Foundation Services LLC, which is a limited liability company affiliate of the Foundation.

Courtney Nomina
Florida State Parks Foundation
+1 386-490-3205
email us here