Envirothon
Advisor: Mr. Gary Taylor
Background on the MN Envirothon
The Envirothon is an outdoor environmental learning competition for high school students. Area competitions are administered by the state's Soil and Water Conservation Districts, in partnership with conservation organizations, educators, and other natural resource agencies.
The Envirothon promotes a desire for students to learn more about Minnesota's natural resources, as well as public policy and roles of government and landowners in managing the state's resources. The program helps students develop critical thinking skills, cooperative problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills.
Schools and teachers benefit by providing a learning opportunity to students who excel in the sciences and ecology. The community and state benefit by having concerned and well-informed citizens who can make good decisions about the environment.
Teams of students compete by visiting five learning stations and taking a 20-point exam on an environmental topic. The topics are: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, and Current Events, which is a new topic each year.
The exams are administered by a local natural resource professional, who also gives the students a brief overview of the topic and explains some of the core concepts. Teams also prepare and give an oral presentation on the current events topic.
Teams compete at an Area Envirothon, and the top 3 teams from each area advance to the State Envirothon.
The Envirothon promotes a desire for students to learn more about Minnesota's natural resources, as well as public policy and roles of government and landowners in managing the state's resources. The program helps students develop critical thinking skills, cooperative problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills.
Schools and teachers benefit by providing a learning opportunity to students who excel in the sciences and ecology. The community and state benefit by having concerned and well-informed citizens who can make good decisions about the environment.
Teams of students compete by visiting five learning stations and taking a 20-point exam on an environmental topic. The topics are: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, and Current Events, which is a new topic each year.
The exams are administered by a local natural resource professional, who also gives the students a brief overview of the topic and explains some of the core concepts. Teams also prepare and give an oral presentation on the current events topic.
Teams compete at an Area Envirothon, and the top 3 teams from each area advance to the State Envirothon.
History
The Envirothon program started in 1979 in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts sponsored the program as an outdoor hands-on competition. Minnesota held its first Envirothon in 1993 with 100 students from the Twin Cities area participating. The following year, several Soil and Water Conservation Districts organized area competitions. By 1996, all districts held area competitions. Now, nearly 1,000 students participate throughout the state.
Who Sponsors the State Envirothon?
The Minnesota State Envirothon is sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts and
the Minnesota Association of Conservation District Employees. We have also had very generous contributions from the
following organizations in the past:
Pentair Foundation; Minnesota Association of Soil & Water Conservation District’s;
Minnesota Corn Growers Association; Minnesota Association of Conservation District Employees;
Soil & Water Conservation Society; Individual Soil & Water Conservation District’s;
Minnesota Erosion Control Association; Various private organizations
Click here for Minnesota Envirothon page: Sponsored by Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
the Minnesota Association of Conservation District Employees. We have also had very generous contributions from the
following organizations in the past:
Pentair Foundation; Minnesota Association of Soil & Water Conservation District’s;
Minnesota Corn Growers Association; Minnesota Association of Conservation District Employees;
Soil & Water Conservation Society; Individual Soil & Water Conservation District’s;
Minnesota Erosion Control Association; Various private organizations
Click here for Minnesota Envirothon page: Sponsored by Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts