Youth Rangers Programme
Youth Rangers Programme
The future of our planet is doomed if the effects of climate change are not mitigated over the next 25 years. By educating the youth of today we stand a chance of overcoming these harmful effects and allow ourselves, and the next generation to have a brighter, cleaner, greener and more sustainable future.
The Youth Rangers Programme takes place over 6 sites:
- Belfast Hills
- Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark
- Mourne AONB
- Ring of Gullion AONB
- Sperrin AONB
- Strangford Lough and Lecale AONB
At each location over the course of the five day programme, the aim is to empower young people between the ages of 14-17, to develop skills to become ambassadors and advocates for the long-term protection of our landscapes and associated environmental and cultural heritage both in Northern Ireland, and from a global perspective.
The programme is a great way for young people to connect and learn practical conservation skills and contribute to the environmental management of the area; all while having fun through activities such as canoeing, map navigation and hillwalking, where they will learn about the habitats, archaeology, legends and geology of the area.
The Youth Ranger Programme will provide benefits not only to the 6 locations, but also to their surrounding areas. Through the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy, the education of public will be advanced, increasing the awareness of the benefits that reducing carbon emissions can bring, while promoting effective ways to make these reductions a reality.
Youth rangers will also be involved in environmental improvement schemes which will further improve habitats in the surrounding areas, increasing biodiversity and further helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change and GHG emissions.
Overall, the Youth Ranger Programme is a great opportunity for any young person wishing to:
- Meet new like-minded people
- Build confidence, through team-based activities
- Contribute to your community and the environment
- Keep active and,
- Gain valuable environmental skills
The Youth Ranger Programme is an important step towards creating a society where sustainability is at the forefront when developing Agriculture, Business, Health & Wellbeing, Infrastructure, Local Government, and the Built Environment, through the education of the next generation of environmental enthusiasts.
Action Renewables are proud to be the main sponsor of the Youth Rangers Programme.
The Youth Rangers Programme provides 14–17year-olds a great opportunity to learn outdoor skills such as map navigation, tree identification, and canoeing, whilst exploring interesting areas such as Belfast Hills, Mourne AONB, Ring of Gullion AONB and more. The youth rangers will have the chance to learn about how these different landscapes were formed, their rich biodiversity, and their heritage. The programme is a great opportunity for young people to learn practical conservation skills and contribute to the overall environmental management of the area; all whilst taking part in fun activities and getting to meet like minded people.
Most recently, the youth rangers enjoyed a brilliant day at Hanna’s Close, exploring the woods for tree IDs and taking part in a seed collection walk. These activities allowed the youth rangers to test their knowledge on tree, leaf, flower, and seed flashcards, showing just how much they had learned. The group was then able to process crab-apple seeds and plant acorns in the nursery, helping to grow the next generation of native trees for the surrounding area.
Action Renewables is proud to be supporting the Youth Rangers Programme, it is fantastic to see young people getting stuck into practical conservation work, exploring our natural environment and developing new skills along the way.
Thank you to the team making it all happen, we look forward to seeing more of the youth rangers adventures and the positive changes they are making out in the field.
If you want to find out more about the Youth Ranger Programme, please click here
