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. For example, in 2005 the Envirothon was held at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. In 2006, the North American competition took place at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

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:

• Urban Non-Point Source Pollution
• 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

To learn more about forming an Envirothon team in Fairfax County, e-mail NVSWCD or call 703-324-1460.