Chapter I: Am the

Forest Frolic

Let’s explore the maritime forest! Leaves come in many shapes and sizes. Pick up a few from the forest floor and make a rubbing of them in the space below. Remember Junior Rangers, protect Cumberland Island plants—don’t pick any leaves or flowers off the trees!

{Junior says:}

Instructions:

1. Put your leaves under this page vein side up
2. On top of the paper, lightly rub with the side of your pencil
3. Watch like magic as the leaves appear!

Did you know the oldest oak trees on the island are over 400 years
old!
How old are you? ______________________________

Take a Penny Hike!

Raccoons, bobcats, deer, and birds all live here, but many creatures of the forest are small and may go unnoticed because of their size. See what you can find in an area the size of a penny or smaller and record your findings below!

—Dung beetles roll poop on the forest floor! It’s a dirty job, but
somebody’s got to do it!

—Fungi like mushrooms break down dead things, making food for things
still alive!

—A cocoon is a sign of a life soon to emerge. Butterflies spread pollen
to help the flowers grow!

Shifting Sand Dunes

The sand dunes are important to barrier islands. They are the natural protection for the island from the wind, waves, and water of the ocean. They are important for nesting endangered shorebirds. Connect the dots below to discover another animal that needs dunes to nest!

Hint: I am a female reptile that comes ashore May through August. I lay almost 120 eggs in each nest, but only 1 in 1000 of the hatchlings will survive to adulthood.

Who am I? ______________________________

Dune Highways

The sandy path leading through the dunes is a great place to spot animal tracks. These footprints can tell a story of which animals have been through an area, where they came from, and where they were going! Match the animal tracks below to the animal that made it!

{Junior says:}

Attention Junior Rangers: we use the paths and stay off the dunes so we can protect the island and its animals!

Beach Exploration Bingo!

For many people, the beach is the most popular spot on the island! Take a walk on the beach and see what you can find. See how many different items you can cross off below, and then draw your favorite find in the box provided!

Something Alive Something Rough Listen to a Bird Driftwood
[_] [_] [_] [_]
Find an Animal Something Wet Pick up Trash Something Soft
Burrow [_] [_] [_]
[_]
Something Hard Watch Wind Move MY FAVORITE FIND
[_] the Sand [_]
[_]
Something Dead Something
[_] Squishy
[_]

Shell Match-up

Often you will find broken pieces of sea shells as you comb the beach. Use your observational skills, Junior Ranger, and draw a line from each piece to the shell it came from.

{Shell fragment} {Shell}
__ A. Sand Dollar
{Shell fragment} {Shell}
__ B. Knobbed Whelk
{Shell fragment} {Shell}
__ C. Moon Snail
{Shell fragment} {Shell}
__ D. Ark Shell

{Junior says:}

Seashells are made by animals. Remember to check your shells and leave live animals at their beach home, Junior Rangers!

Poetry Perfect

{Junior says:}

A poem is a way to use words to express a place or a feeling. Poems can be easy and fun to write! Look at the examples below and then follow the directions to write your own poem about Cumberland Island!

_trees in the forest_
_I smell flowers_
_whish whish whish_
_the wind blows through the trees_
_white shells on the beach_
_salty stinky_
_crackle under my feet_
_the sun is warm_

1. What do you SEE:
2. What do you SMELL:
3. What can you HEAR:
4. How does it FEEL:

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Learn Today to Protect Tomorrow!

This is the symbol of the National Park Service. It shows what the Park Service strives to protect and preserve: animals, plants, landscapes, water, and America’s stories, sites, and objects.

{Junior says:}

As a Junior Ranger, you help the park fulfill its mission. Use the empty symbol to draw something you saw or experienced today that you think is worth protecting so others can enjoy it too!

_Certificate of Stewardship_

_This is to Certify that_

I, ______________________________, promise to be a representative of stewardship wherever I go. This is my pledge of how I will continue my duties as a Junior Ranger after I leave this park:

______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________

By successfully completing all my activities, I am hereby designated a
JUNIOR RANGER
In good standing with the National Park Service at
Cumberland Island National Seashore

______________________________
Park Naturalist
______________________________
Date

Transcriber’s Notes

—Silently corrected a few typos.

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook
is public-domain in the country of publication.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by
_underscores_.

—Changed some input instructions to better fit radiobutton or checkbox
functionality.

—In the HTML version only, data entry is supported, but input is not
preserved across browser refreshes; it can be recorded by printing the
file or saving the viewer screen.