Educational & Outreach Programs

Junior Rangers
Junior Ranger Program
Curriculum
Recreational Transit
Program
Share & Care Naturalist
Program
Ramirez Canyon Park
Outreach Programs
Temescal Field Science
Program
Temescal Field Science
School Program
Curriculum

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority offers comprehensive educational and interpretive programs throughout the Southern California region. Our parks serve as outdoor laboratories and classrooms for activities such as curriculum-based environmental education programs; after-school programs for at-risk youth; public programs for seniors, families and small children; "Junior Ranger" youth leadership programs, and Ranger Explorers for teens and young adults; transportation programs that offer groups and organizations the opportunity to visit our public open space; and training programs for individuals and other park professionals.

Junior Rangers
Junior Ranger Program Curriculum
The Conservancy Junior Ranger Program is a coed program for youth ages eight to sixteen that uses our parks as its classroom and playground. Specifically designed for children with little or no experience in the natural world, the Junior Ranger Program offers a unique combination of environmental science, outdoor skills, experiential learning and leadership activities, and is structured using the best methods of traditional youth organizations. In addition to the classes and camping trips, Junior Rangers must complete twenty four hours of community service, in both urban areas and at local parks and beaches. Citizenship skills, including communication, responsibility, trust, critical thinking, and teamwork are threaded throughout the curriculum.

For more information, please call: (310) 858-7272 ext. 132.

Recreational Transit Program
The Recreational Transit Program provides free or low-cost bus transportation for people who otherwise would not have access to a mountain park or beach. Many people often do not have a reliable transportation source, and transportation routes usually bypass most natural areas. RTP provides the critical link for over 35,000 city dwellers each year to visit the mountains and beaches.

For more information, please call: (310) 858-7272 ext 117.

TOP

Share & Care Naturalist Program
Share and Care is a program designed to immerse students in the natural world through a combination of hands-on, experiential science and sensory experiences. Students will participate in a series of group challenges and initiative activities designed to build trust, communication, and cooperation, and will also have the opportunity to participate in games and activities that will allow them to explore complex ecological concepts such as predator-prey relationships, carrying capacity, and interdependence. Our programs are particularly beneficial for urban youth and others who have little or no experience being in nature. Programs last for two hours; participants are then welcome to eat lunch in the park. (We can adapt programs to expand on lessons students were taught or are currently learning in the classroom.)

For more information, please call: (310) 858-7272 ext. 132.

TOP

Ramirez Canyon Park Outreach Programs

• Children's Educational Program
  This joint venture program with the non-profit “Happy Trails” gives children and young adults with disabilities a high-quality, interactive educational experience in a fun, safe environment. The program centers around various animal activities that emphasize the reinforcement of high self-esteem, and improved communication and cooperation skills. The program also provides environmental instruction about the ecology of Ramirez Canyon Park and the Santa Monica Mountains.
  
• Senior & Public Outreach Program
  Ramirez Canyon Park is proud of its outreach program designed to bring the best of Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains to populations with limited access to traditional park programs. Numerous senior homes, the Reverends from the Los Angeles Mission on Skid Row, Veterans from the V.A. Hospital in Westwood, at-risk youth, various battered women’s shelters, and young ladies from Esperanza Housing Project in the inner city have all been guests of Ramirez Canyon Park. The park is a wonderful retreat with accessible garden paths, picnic areas, a streamside trail and overlook that can be readily enjoyed by individuals with physical limitations. Visitors come away with a new sense of peace and inspiration.

For information on both Ramirez Canyon Outreach Programs, please call (310) 589-2850 extension 123.

TOP