Ranger Rick was originally titled Ranger Rick's Nature Magazine. Ranger Rick is a children’s nature magazine that is published by the National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over four million members and supporters, and 48 state and territorial affiliated organizations...

. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004) The magazine offers activities for children, ages 7 and up, in order to spark their interest in the outdoors and become more actively involved in the environment. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004) The magazine's primary intention is to instill a passion for nature and promote activity outdoors. “About Us - National Wildlife Federation,” http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick/Parents-and-Educators/About-Us.aspx. Children are growing increasingly distant from their environment, which raises a concern that conservational efforts in the future will diminish. LARRY J. SCHWEIGER, “An Earth Ethic--Revisited.,” National Wildlife 49, no. 1 (December 2010): 6. However, Ranger Rick has taken this disinterest into account and has made some changes in its content to attract children and therefore promote environmental activism. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004). NWF also publishes two companion magazines, Big Backyard, which is aimed at ages 3–7, and Wild Animal Baby

Wild Animal Baby

Wild Animal Baby is a magazine for children published by the National Wildlife Federation. The magazine is targeted to children ages 2-4, and consists of readings, pictures, and games designed to teach children about animals...

, which is aimed at kids 12 months old to 4 years old.)

History

Ranger Rick is the oldest and biggest children’s nature magazine. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004) The National Wildlife Federation first published the magazine as, Ranger Rick’s Nature Magazine, in January of 1967 “Meet Ranger Rick! - National Wildlife Federation,” http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick/Parents-and-Educators/Meet-Ranger-Rick.aspx and instantly gained many devoted readers who have since passed on their interest to their own children. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004).

Publication Information

Ranger Rick has a circulation of 525,000, and an estimated 200,000 more children are exposed to the magazine by viewing pre-used copies. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004) The magazine has one issue published every month by the National Wildlife Federation. National Science Resources Center (U.S.), Resources for teaching elementary school science (National Academies Press, 1996)

Printing Information

The magazine uses an environmentally friendly processed paper, which is composed of consumer waste (about 30%) and is absent of chlorine.Quad, “Ranger Rick is printed.,” Ranger Rick 43, no. 5 (May 2009): 2. Vegetable oils largely make up the magazine’s actual ink. Quad, “Ranger Rick is printed.,” Ranger Rick 43, no. 5 (May 2009): 2. By using these environmentally friendly resources the following is saved on a monthly basis: Quad, “Ranger Rick is printed.,” Ranger Rick 43, no. 5 (May 2009): 2.

Trees: 1,179
Total Energy: 3,300 million BTUs
Greenhouse Gases: 617,398 lbs. carbon
Waste Water: 1,517,064 gallons
Solid Waste: 216,093 lbs.

Features

Each issue includes nonfiction articles about various environmental and animal topics, fictional story-like articles, and color photography throughout. National Science Resources Center (U.S.), Resources for teaching elementary school science (National Academies Press, 1996) Also included in the magazine are activities such as nature-themed games, activities that get children to actively learn more about their environments, riddles, and jokes. National Science Resources Center (U.S.), Resources for teaching elementary school science (National Academies Press, 1996) Most of the pages of the magazine feature multi-page photo stories of animals in their natural habitats. There are also illustrated stories, games, riddles, nature news, poetry, contests, and other features and columns. Ranger Rick also refers to the protagonist in a long standing feature of Ranger Rick magazine, Ranger Rick's Adventures (originally titled Ranger Rick and his Friends). The feature is published in the form of an illustrated short story, in which Ranger Rick — a raccoon

Raccoon

Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...

 wearing a park ranger's hat — and his gang of friends from Deep Green Wood explore the world, often encountering threats to wildlife and environmental problems. Rick or any one of his friends, including Boomer Badger and Scarlett Fox, always finds a solution to whatever problem they encounter, thus encouraging children to do their part to protect their natural environment.
Previous Ranger Rick magazines have featured these and other adventure stories:

• recycling Christmas trees as a means of helping to provide proper habitat for fish (December 2009-January 2010);
• Rick and Scarlett pulling an April Fool trick on Boomer Badger to get him away from his TV and computer and to get out into nature and fresh air (April 2009);
• realizing the hazards of long fishing lines at sea (June and July 2008); illustrated by Rob Gilbert
  Rob Gilbert
  Rob Gilbert is an American cartoonist, animation instructor, and illustrator best known for children's books and illustrations.Gilbert was born in New York City and began drawing at an early age...
  
  /Robby Gilbert.
• struggling with alien species in the Florida Everglades (February 2007).illustrated by Rob Gilbert
  Rob Gilbert
  Rob Gilbert is an American cartoonist, animation instructor, and illustrator best known for children's books and illustrations.Gilbert was born in New York City and began drawing at an early age...
  
  /Robby Gilbert.

Honors

Ranger Rick has received the “Golden Lamp Award for excellence in educational journalism”.Quad, “Ranger Rick is printed.,” Ranger Rick 43, no. 5 (May 2009): 2.
Here are other awards the magazine has attained over the years: “Awards & Honors - National Wildlife Federation,” http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick/Parents-and-Educators/Awards.aspx.

"Association of Educational Publishers Distinguished Achievement Award Winner

2010

• Periodical of the Year for Children (Grades K-5)
• Best Feature Story ("Nature Did It First," April 2009)
• Best Visual Story ("Wild and Weird," Oct. 2009))
• Best Photograph (April 2009)

2009

• Best Design/Whole Publication, Oct. 2008 issue
• Best Article Design (“Noisy Boys Band,” Sept. 2008)
• Best Feature Article (“Noisy Boys Band,” Sept. 2008)

2008

• Best Visual Story (“Island of the Bats,” October 2007)
• Best Photograph (“Fruit Eating Bat,” October 2007)

2007

• Best Magazine Illustration ("What's Lurking in Your Lawn?" Sept. 2006)
• Best Visual Article ("Skin," Dec. 2006)
• Best Feature Story ("The Scoop on Poop," March 2006)
• Best Visual Story ("Hum, Hum Hummers," June 2006)

2006

• Best Visual Story ("Face to Face," May 2005)
• Best How-To Feature ("Six Trix for Better Pix," June 2005)
• Best Teacher's Guide (December 2005)
• Best Informational/Educational Website (for http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick.aspxwww.nwf.org/rangerrick )

2004

• Best Feature Article ("Meat-Eating Plants, " Nov. 2003)

2003

• Best Feature Article ("Open Wide, Look Inside, It's Alive!" Feb. 2002)
• Best Illustration ("Open Wide, Look Inside, It's Alive!" Feb. 2002)
• Best How-To Feature ("Good Pet, Bad Pet," June 2002)
• Best Visual Story ("Wahoo, Kangaroo!" Feb. 2002)

2001

• Golden Lamp Award finalist
• Winner for Best Visual Story ("All About Me," June 2000)
Note: Before 2000 or so, the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) was known as EdPress.

1998

• EdPress Winner for Primates Special Issue (October 1997 issue)

1993

• EdPress Golden Lamp Honor Award

1992

• EdPress Distinguished Achievement Award

1988

• EdPress Golden Lamp Award for best overall magazine (October 1997 issue)

Parents' Choice Foundation

• Parents' Choice Foundation Silver Medal, 2010
• Parents' Choice Foundation Gold Medal, 2009
• Parent's Choice Foundation, Gold Medal, 2008
• Parents’ Choice Foundation, Award Winner, 2006, for NWF: Kids & Families website
• Parents' Choice Foundation, Gold Medal, 2003
• Parents' Choice Foundation, Gold Medal, 1999
• Parents' Choice Foundation, Gold Medal, 1996

The Learning Magazine Teachers' Choice Awards

2007

• Teachers' Choice Award for the Family

2006

• Teachers’ Choice Award for the Family (for Ranger Rick magazine and its Educator’s Guide)

Other Awards:
• 2001 - Folio Editorial Excellence Award Silver Winner for Outstanding Editorial Work
• 1996 - Society of National Association Publishers General Excellence Award
• 1991 - National Magazine Award finalist for special issue on frogs“Awards & Honors - National Wildlife Federation,” http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick/Parents-and-Educators/Awards.aspx. "

Characters

The magazine is named after Ranger Rick, the raccoon protagonist who was first portrayed extinguishing a forest fire within the first issue. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004). Ranger Rick and his friends, Scarlett Fox, and Boomer Badger have many adventures together (as depicted in the magazine’s regularly featured cartoon and fiction stories) and always look for new ways to help preserve the environment. “Meet Ranger Rick! - National Wildlife Federation,” http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick/Parents-and-Educators/Meet-Ranger-Rick.aspx.

In the Classroom

Ranger Rick is sometimes incorporated in elementary science classrooms to enhance the interest of environmental conservation in young children. National Science Resources Center (U.S.), Resources for teaching elementary school science (National Academies Press, 1996).

Recent Modifications

Because technology has greatly influenced and impacted the lives of children today, Ranger Rick magazine has made modifications in order to appeal to the children that are becoming increasingly distant in engaging in outdoor exploration. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004). In order to inspire a new generation of conservationists, attracting young readers is essential to magazine's which promote environmental awareness and preservation efforts. Brian Nearing, Linking kids to great outdoors: Agency starts magazine that aims to instill love of nature in the young (Times Union (Albany, NY), December 19, 2007). , and Ranger Rick magazine has realized this importance of maintaing natural interest in young people. The magazine has since made changes within their content Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004). in order to appeal to a changed generation of children, not only for profit, but for the future of conservational efforts. The magazine has made such changes, for example, in the amount of narrative

Narrative

A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...

, by replacing the majority of narrative pieces with more visually engaging elements. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004). Also, the Ranger Rick character himself has had a transformation as he once appeared as an accurate representation of a real raccoon, to becoming a very unrealistic, cartoon-like figure. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004). Some sections of the magazine have been modified as well, such as placing the text and titles in more modern and ideal locations to visually draw in readers. Kenneth B. Kidd, Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism (Wayne State University Press, 2004).

External links

• National Wildlife Federation's Children's Magazines