Junior Ranger Oath

| promise to help protect the
lronwood Forest National Monument,
public lands, my community, and the earth by being an active
and responsible steward of the environment.

| promise that | will not feed wild animals.

| promise to leave rocks, plants and historic objects as
__ | find them for everyone to enjoy.
| promise to continue to explore, learn about, and respect

the world wherever | go. > iy,
\Wfy
| promise | will share what | learn with others. —
s | a A
Dy

Signed



pa Heh okath People

Long ago, there was a culture of people that lived in the Ironwood Forest National
Monument area that we call the “HOHOKAM.” We know about these ancient hunters, farmers
and gatherers through studies done by a group of scientists called ARCHAEOLOGISTS. By
studying the things left behind, archaeologists have learned much about
the Hohokam people, including the things they ate.

Draw a irk) around the ANIMALS the Hohokam hunted.

Draw MMe. 2000 the CROPS they farmed

Draw a scare] around the NATIVE PLANTS they gathered.

a Gambel’s Qual

ff)
Saquaro Fruit



Yow Can you ge a responsible TJetnior ® anger
when you visit the desert?

Leave No Trace!





JUNIoRo RANGERS
ES

WORD MAIC

READ THE WORDS AND DEFINITIONS BELOW.
DRAW A LINE TO MATCH THE WORDS WITH THE CORRECT DEFINITIONS.

\. HAR! TKT CHANGES THAT HELP PLANTS AND ANIMALS BETTER
SURVIVE IN THEIR ENVIRONMENTS.

2. 6Co1esY STORIES, PLACES AND PROPERTY THAT ARE PASSED TO
US FROM OUR ANCESTORS.

SB. ADAPIAION —_-VARIETY IN NATURE OR CULTURE.



Mle Weer hdl Jamp:

As you walk through the desert, look for mule deer in the distance. In order to move
quickly though the prickly cactus and shrubs of the desert, mule deer leap very high
sometimes 6 feet in the air!

How high can you leap in the air?

Lizard PSuHnpS:

Lizards like to hide in rock cracks and shadows of desert plants, but if you're lucky you may

Spot one basking in a sunny spot. Male lizards do “push-ups” to show-off their bellies
and defend their territory.

Find a clear, safe spot on the trail. How
many push-ups can you do in 20 seconds?

Walbbbit low:

You may see many rabbits darting quickly across the desert landscape.
Rabbits can move very swiftly and use jumping as an escape method from
predators. They can leap into the air
over the back of a predator!

oN oN

Pretend you're being chased by a predator and hop like a rabbit down the trail.



RICMMNg Ind hani-swings:

Look for hummingbirds feeding on the flowers of the desert plants. Hummingbirds flap their wings
over 50 times per second! 50 wing-beats per second equals 1500 wing-beats in 30 seconds.

How many times can you flap your
“wings” in 30 seconds?

Quail Cover:

You can often see the Gambel’s quail skirting into shady patches in the desert brush. Quail
are rarely seen in flight. Any flight is usually short and explosive, with many rapid
wing-beats, followed by a slow glide to the ground.

t
ae

one place and flap your arms,
then leap forward and pretend to glide.



Wore Placze bo Play and Learulll

NATIONAL LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION SYSTEM

—

Vermilion Cliffs
National Monument

Grand Canyon-Parashant
National Monument

Agua Fria
National Monument

Gila Box Riparian
National Conservation

Sonoran Desert Area 6
National Monument

@ jronwood Forest
National Monument

Las Cienegas
National Conservation Area

ee
San Pedro

Riparian National
Conservation Area



After pollination, each
flower develops into a fruit,
The fruit ripens in July, and
each one may hold more than
2,000 tiny seeds!

Saguaro blossoms appear
at night during May and June.

&

After ripening, the saguaro seeds

fall to the ground or are dispersed
by birds. If a seed falls in the right
place, it may sprout and grow.

Saguaro cacti
normally live
for up to 200
years. Death
may come by
freezing,
lightning,
wind, old age,
vandalism or
human
development.

The first blossoms
appear when the
Saguaro is 35-40
years old.

The first arm ona
Saguaro usually

appears when the
plant is 65-75 years old.

If a saguaro seedling is to survive,
it needs the protection of a

After its first year, the “nurse plant” which provides
seedlings highly variable Protection from the sun and
growth is controlled by freezing temperatures.

the amount of water in

the soil,





Finish the words in the sentences below and then find the words in the puzzle. |

Words may go up, down, forward, or backward. |

IA

!LEDZNRDLCHAWKN IR
WATERNIENASNAEB |c
DVISMZTSUCOWVQI! \f
AEBEUOFAOTY ZEAGI |
GALRUTNTRUGOFEDH
EDSTFIDYQS WA BVO
DESERTTORT Goa
BRDLIZARD S$. PY>X-) eee \
AN CTE PH DX\b SoMieSQaR- at
TIAN I LE WA DS NANSILCRIE lee
SE!ISV KG OINS BA Wane “70

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Many different plants and animals live in the hot D

Always bring this with you when you visit the desert: W._ © _-
B ____ fly at night after sleeping all day in a cave.
Many of these prickly plants grow in the desert: C >~ ra he,

This animal moves slowly and hides in its shell when yA

This large bird soars high above the cactus, Joking os prey Reditail
This animal climbs rocks with ease: __ _ _ oo ~
This reptile runs very fast: L

This fuzzy creature rests under the bushes in the shade: a . to
You should always wear a H _ _ in the desert. \ ‘

,
\
\


ie OF Adaptations

The Ironwood Forest National Monument is home to many plants and animals, Some like the
coyote can live almost anywhere but the desert tortoise lives in a specific place or habitat. To
survive, plants and animals “adapt” to the places they live. Adaptations can be behaviors like a
lizard lying on a rock to sun itself for warmth or physical like a Gila monster, who is able to
survive for months without food because it stores fat in its large tail.

Draw € line From the Adaptetion to the —-—-——.—. Plant or Animal

This animal can survive by
hiding in a burrow during the
hottest part of the day.

Uses built in sonar while
flying at night to detect and
catch its prey.

Survives by having spines to
protect it from being eaten.

This animal survives by being
able to eat a variety of things.

This animal's musky odor
allows it to be recognized by
herd members.

Concaved hooves provide
traction for this animal allow-
ing it to climb rocky terrain.



THE DESERT TORTOISE

The desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) is native to the Sonoran desert and occurs
east of the Colorado River in Arizona as well as in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa,
Mexico. These reptiles may attain a length of 10 to 14 inches with males being
slightly larger than females. Tortoises are able to live where ground temperatures
may exceed 140 degrees because of their ability to dig underground burrows and
escape the heat. Desert tortoises eat grasses, herbs, annual wildflowers, and new
growth of cacti, as well as their fruit and flowers, If you see a tortoise in the
wild, it is important that you do not pick it up. It may empty its bladder if
frightened which could have deadly consequences if it is not able to
replenish its water supply. Only handle a tortoise if it is in imminent
danger of being struck by a vehicle.

ee . . "

\

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|

+ pick Aina
Help guide this desert tortoise back to his burrow. But remember, don't pick him up
felp gui

P ——— Sie
ta a ee



_Match the description, Hescrintion with the words provided below

site for
2 Denge canopy for nesting hawks and owls

of__-
and other birde

3 Leaf litter provides
and organic matter fory
Soil enrichment \

> 6 protection
aN) Against freezes for
4 Burrows for and barrel cactus
in and

around roote

& Seeds for doves,

and rodents
9 Deep hold soit
banks in place
Ecological value of the Ironwood
—__ Quail _—__ Nitrogen ___ White-winged doves
Bighorn sheep Tortoises Saguaro
_—__ Flowers Roosting —___ Roots



area, Asc i iclgs were sc01 a GY fos wd tnd cs Only the Shokan knew
exactly what these symbols meant, but we can make our own guesses.
What do you think the Following petroglyphs might mean?

=
eo

Draw your own petroglyph on the rock above,
What does ft mean to you?



peas) THE TRACKS YOU FENP

Tn THE SPACE BELOW



ik year 2000, President Bill Clinton designated this 129,000
acre area of biological and cultural importance as the Ironwood
Forest National Monument. The mountain ranges in the monument
create areas of habitat for a wide variety of plants and
animals. Among these, the ironwood tree,
from which the monument gets its name, is
an important part of the desert habitat. It provides
shelter for small animals and new plants and cacti.

Several endangered species can be found in this
protected area; including the Nichol Turk’s head
cactus and lesser long-nosed bat. The bighorn
sheep frequent the mountains of the Ironwood
Forest National Monument. It contains the last
native herd of bighorn sheep in the Tucson area.

The many archaeological sites in the Ironwood
Forest National Monument date back more than
5,000 years. Petroglyph rock art is the most popular
of these sites and is found throughout the
monument. They are links to the past; keys to unlock
the daily lives of those who lived here long ago. There
are several locations with petroglyph rock art in

the monument.

Ui, us som!


Become a Junior Ranger!

What is a Junior Ranger?

A Junior Ranger explores the environment around them.

A Junior Ranger cares for plants, animals, and the land.

A Junior Ranger encourages others to care for the land
and its inhabitants.

How to earn your badge

Complete six or more of the activities in this book in the
lronwood Forest National Monument, at home, or at a local park.
Then to receive your Junior Ranger badge and signed certificate ...

.» bring your booklet (or mail it) to:
Bureau of Land Management
Tucson Field Office
3201 E. Universal Way
Tucson, AZ 85756



The

with yellowish-brown or pale gray above and

lesser long-nosed bat is a medium sized Bat

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