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TextEnvirothon
Congratulations
to the Hidden Pond Nature Center Envirothon team for winning second place
statewide! The 2012 Hidden Pond Nature Center group, representing
NVSWCD, took first place at the Fairfax County Envirothon competition and
also at Area II regionals. They then moved on to the state level
competition on May 20-21 at James Madison University in Harrisonburg,
where they competed against the top fifteen teams in Virginia. This
accomplishment marks the second year in a row they have placed second
statewide.
The Virginia Envirothon is a natural resources competition for high school students. Students who participate learn about stewardship and management concepts and work to solve real and hypothetical environmental problems. The program is field-oriented and gives students an opportunity to work with natural resource professionals.
Teams compete at the local and regional
level in the early spring to win a spot in the Virginia Envirothon. The
top three teams from the region are eligible for a two-day state
competition held in May. The winner of the state competition goes to the
North American Canon Envirothon in late July. The location for the
North American competition varies from year to year.
Teams are made up of five students in 9th through 12th grades. Throughout the school year students prepare for competition with a coach, usually a teacher or natural resource professional in the community. Students are tested on their knowledge of soils/land use, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology and a current environmental topic that changes every year.
Students visit five "in-the-field" test stations where written and hands-on problem solving is required. They also make an oral presentation formulating a strategy for addressing a specific problem related to the current environmental topic. The test stations are each worth 100 points. The presentation is worth 200 points. The team scoring closest to 700 points is the winner.
Examples of current environmental topics chosen for the Envirothon include:
- Low Impact Development and Non-Point Source Pollution (2012)
- Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (2011)
- Introduced Species and Their Effect on Biodiversity
- Agricultural Land Conservation and Preservation
- Natural Resource Management in the Urban Environment
- Managing Cultural Landscapes
- Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate
The Virginia Association of Soil and Water
Conservation Districts, a nonprofit association, coordinates the
state program. Virginia's 47 soil and water conservation districts
sponsor local programs.
To learn more about forming an Envirothon team in Fairfax County, email NVSWCD or call 703-324-1460, TTY 711.
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