Junior Rangers graduate from Caesar Creek Lake

Published Aug. 25, 2010

The 2010 Caesar Creek Lake Junior Ranger Program concluded on July 16, after four days of fun and learning for 200 children between the ages of six and 12. The program was designed to help children gain a better understanding of the environment and the role they play in it.

Day one kicked off with the Pledge of Alligence and the taking of the Junior Ranger oath led by program organizer and Park Ranger Toni Caldwell. The theme of day one was rocks. The junior rangers looked for fossils in the spillway, the official fossil collecting area at the project. This was followed up by rock climbing led by Staff Sgt. McCabe and Sgt. Frankie from the U.S. Army who transported the Army Recruiting Office’s rock climbing wall out to Caesar Creek Lake and oversaw the rock climbing activities.

The theme on day two was water and the Junior Rangers experienced firsthand the ecology of streams and fishing. Working with the state of Ohio’s Passport to Fishing program the Junior Rangers learned about the types of fish and fish habitat at Caesar Creek. They also learned to cast, tie knots and handle fish.

Day three focused on the land. The Junior Rangers were introduced to map reading and orienteering and broke into teams to follow a challenging course across both prairie and forest areas at Caesar Creek. The Junior Rangers then trekked the Gorge Loop Trail looking for animals, or signs of animals along the path through the woods.

The final day concerned the animals of the air. Park Ranger Rebecca Elefante set out mist nets to capture birds for banding and discussed the importance of this activity in understanding the natural history of the birds of the Caesar Creek area. Ohio State Park Ranger Erin Shaw from the Natural Center brought over a captured barred owl to introduce to Junior Rangers the place owls have in the Caesar Creek environment.

The Junior Rangers then met Bobber the Water Safety Dog and the Corps’ mascot Buddy the Beaver to receive their Certificates of Achievement as Honorary Junior Rangers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Junior Ranger program at Caesar Creek Lake thanks the many people who volunteered to help put on this program. Many local businesses provided assistance to make this program a success. We are especially grateful to the canoe liveries in the Caesar Creek Lake area (Little Miami, Morgan’s, and Rivers Edge) that provided the Junior Ranger Program with the 200 life jackets necessary for the day two activities that revolved around the theme of water.