ORANJESTAD – Arikok National Park has been organizing the Junior Ranger Camp for a few years already with a focus on educating the younger generation on the importance of the local flora, fauna, history and culture of the island. All of our Junior Rangers have a passion for nature and strong desire to protect it. Stanson Tromp was one of our first graduates as a Junior Ranger in 2012. In his own words “the Junior Ranger Camp was an awesome experience that I shall never forget.”
Ranger Stanson adds that the program would start early with long hikes, different presentations on reptiles, basic history of the park and more. “The knowledge gained through this experience now serves as the foundation of what I know and teach today as a Park Ranger for Arikok National Park.” Ranger Stanson joined the National Park in 2015 after serving as a Park Volunteer after graduating from the Junior Ranger Camp. The transition from Junior Ranger to Park Ranger was both exciting and scary, especially the fact that I
had to wake-up super early and work with colleagues twice my age.
However, it taught me to adapt as I go, learning about responsibility, authority and wisdom. “To this date I am still learning”, mentions Ranger Stanson. “There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy, and its charm” is Stanson’s favorite quote by Franklin Roosevelt on nature. Our Junior Ranger Camp gives graduates the opportunity to become a Park Ranger in the future by providing them with hands-on knowledge on the importance of conserving our local flora and fauna.
Our next Junior Ranger Camp will take place during the first week of October 2018. For more
information on our Junior Ranger Camp please feel free to contact us at info@arubanationalpark.org or by sending us a private message on Facebook: ArikokNationalPark.
