The Bering Land Bridge National Preserve held its first Junior Ranger Program, geared towards children ages 6-12. Through team building games, crossword puzzles, and learning about emergency equipment, children learned about how to survive in Arctic and Subarctic regions. The program was led by Nome-grown Park Ranger Kat Scott of the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.

While sharing stories of her family’s subsistence, Scott says that the smallest ecosystem changes can affect hunting, fishing, and gathering. “I think the main reason is keeping the ecosystem intact, keeping the harmony between all of the animals and all the plants. Just a shift in like one degree of the weather can change, the waterways, the fish with how early spring gets or how late it gets.”

The Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is made up of 27.5 million acres across the Seward Peninsula. Programs like the Jr. Ranger Program teaches children how to be safe when encountering wildlife and what to do if there’s an emergency while out in the country. After the new rangers completed their activities, earning the official title of Junior Ranger, they were awarded with high-fives and stickers to celebrate their achievement.

Image at the top: Two boys determine what is important to pack in an emergency kit in the Junior Ranger Program. Photo by Ava White/KNOM.