1. Envirothon

2. Envirothon Goals
Develop critical thinking and problem solving skills about natural resources
A chance for high school students to work together as a team
An opportunity to meet other students interested in the environment
A chance to meet professionals in different environmental fields
Trip(s) to state and (inter) national Envirothon

3. Description
An outdoor high school team competition for 5 students from the same school
It tests knowledge and skills in the areas of aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and current environmental issues
There are 4 testing stations set up in an ecostation approach with questions from all 5 areas at each stop
Sponsored by Soil and Water Conservation Districts
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4. The Competition SWCD Area contest Ohio Envirothon NCF Envirothon
Teams from high schools compete regionally, against teams from 16 to 17 other counties
Ohio Envirothon
The top 4 teams from each of the 5 SWCD areas will compete at the state contest
NCF Envirothon
The top Ohio team will compete with teams from the US, Canada and now, China.

5. Area Competition
One Envirothon is held annually in each SWCD area in the spring at rotating locations

6. Mock Envirothon There are 25 questions at each station
The questions are multiple choice
Some questions are hands-on and site specific
Students work collaboratively to answer the questions

7. Aquatics Aquatics tests the identification and
Interrelationships of macroinvertebrates,
aquatic plants, fish and other members
of the aquatic community.
Management strategies of surface and ground water resources, food chains and other relationships may also be tested.

8. Forestry
A test of tree identification, tree uses, tree anatomy, growth and
development (measurement of tree height and diameter) and proper
management of a woodlands.

9. Soils
Soils questions refer to the origin and nature (texture, composition, etc.) of soil, soil survey, soil pit, and
general uses, conservation and restrictions of soils.

10. Wildlife Wildlife tests on the identification of skins, skulls,
and nesting boxes.
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Hunting, trapping, and habitat management for certain animal species may also be questioned.

11. Current Environmental Issues
Specific questions about current
topics, such as pollution, wetlands,
fires, etc will be at each ecostation. .
The 2018 issue is “Western Rangeland Management”.
The issue changes annually, and is determined by the host of the NCF Envirothon.
The 2018 host is the state of Idaho.

12. Wildlife Questions: 1. Identify this animal skin. Beaver Mink Weasel
Gray Tailed Squirrel

13. Wildlife Questions: 2. Which of the following is not a game species?
Brown Trout
Rosefin Shiner
Smallmouth Bass
Pike

14. Forestry Questions 3. Identify this tree. Tulip Magnolia Sweet Gum
Black Gum

15. Forestry Questions
4. In terms of BTU’s per cord, what would be considered the best firewood in this list:
Sycamore
Ash
Hickory
Walnut

16. Soil Questions
5. Climate, sometimes referred to as weathering, is on of the five soil forming factors. What change in climate would accelerate soil formation?
Long winters with less snow
Longer winters with more snow
Longer winters with less rain
Longer summers with more rain

17. Soil Questions
6. The soils of Ohio can be divided into large regions based on the underlying parent material. Which type of soils are we standing on today?
A. Soils formed in Volcanic Ash
B. Soils formed in Wisconsin Age Glacial Drift
C. Soils formed in Illinoian Age Glacial Drift
D. Soils formed in Glacial Lake Sediments
E. Soils formed in Unglaciated Sandstone and Shale

18. Aquatics Questions 7. Identify this macroinvertebrate: Leech
Mayfly nymph
Stonefly nymph
Dragonfly larvae

19. Aquatics Questions
8. What class in the stream quality monitoring index does the critter in question #7 belong?
Class I
Class II
Class III
None of these classes

20. Oral Presentation
Teams at the Ohio and NCF Envirothon are required to make a presentation related to the current environmental issue
Teams are given a scenario and must develop a suitable way to address the problem
All team members must have an active role in this presentation
Presentations are viewed and scored by a panel of judges

21. Envirothon Resources
The tests are written by local resource professionals in each of the content areas
Other resources are listed on the Envirothon website:

22. Who is the OEC? (And what do they do?)
The Ohio Envirothon Committee: 2 reps from each Area, plus staff support from OFSWCD and ODA (Thanks Mindy, Alison, & Emily!)
Responsible for the logistics of the Envirothon at the state level, as well as leadership and assistance for Area and National competitions

23. Katie Nainiger (Geauga) Kathleen Vrable-Bryan (Mahoning)
Nicki Kale (Wood)
&
Dan Barker (Morrow)
Katie Nainiger (Geauga)
&
Kathleen Vrable-Bryan (Mahoning)
Mindy Bankey & Alison Foster (OFSWCD)
&
Emily Heppner (ODA)
Wendee Zadanski (Jefferson)
&
Karen Gotter (Holmes)
Dona Rhea (Delaware)
&
Danielle Thompson (Brown)
Lee Eltzroth (Greene)
&
Brigitte Hisey (Fayette)

24. Envirothon from Students Perspective
Delaware Area Career Center Students’ presentations

25. NCF Envirothon
Mission: To develop knowledgeable, skilled, and dedicated citizens who have an understanding of natural resources and are willing and prepared to work towards achieving and maintaining a balance between the quality of life and the quality of the environment. The Envirothon mission is accomplished by developing in young people an understanding of the principles and practices of natural resource management and ecology and through practice dealing with complex resource management decisions.

26. NCF Envirothon
Program Goals: • To promote a desire to learn more about the natural environment and equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to apply the basic principles and practices of resource management and ecology to complex environmental issues. • To promote stewardship of natural resources and to encourage the development of the critical thinking, cooperative problem-solving, and decision-making skills required to achieve and maintain a natural balance between the quality of life and the quality of the environment.*

27. NCF Envirothon Program Goals:
• To provide students with experience in environmentally-oriented activities, enabling them to become environmentally-aware, action-oriented citizens.*
*Adapted from the draft National Standards for Environmental Education (NAAEE), August 1995 draft

28. NCF Envirothon
• Formerly known as the Canon Envirothon • Historically, funding came from local conservation districts, state conservation committees, state, federal and provincial conservation organizations, and provincial forestry associations. In 1999, Canon U.S.A., Inc. became the title sponsor. • Over time, Canon began to pull away and reduce its funding dollars, finally severing its sponsorship in The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) stepped in to save the program from collapse.

29. NCF Envirothon
Organizational Structure: NCF Board of trustees and their elected Executive Committee • Responsible for ensuring the program is planned and executed safely and successfully. The director of development works as staff to the Foundation to assist with the regular operations of the Foundation as a whole, which includes fundraising for the Envirothon program.

30. NCF Envirothon NCF Envirothon Operating Committee (NCFEOC)
• 11 to 13 members – consisting of 2 members from each of the five Envirothon regions and 1 – 3 at large members
Operating Committee purpose:
• Provide program recommendations to the NCF Executive Board
• Assist the host state/province in promoting, organizing and conducting the Envirothon international competition
• Encourage the recruitment of teams and the development of state, provincial, local/regional programs and competitions;
• Seek new activities and educational materials for training advisors and teams
• Develop rules and policies for conducting the program

31. NCF Envirothon
State/Province Envirothon Representatives (one from each participating state/province)
The Envirothon program is structured to allow individual states/provinces maximum flexibility to individualize their program.

32. NCF Envirothon

33. NCF Envirothon
Program Structure: Day One: Check in, Welcome Ceremony and Trade Fair Day Two: Training Day Day Three: Testing Day Day Four: Fun Day Day Five: Presentation Preparation Day Six: Presentations and Awards Ceremony

34. Doesn’t this look FUN?

35. NCF Envirothon
Future Hosts: 2018: Idaho 2019: North Carolina 2020: Nebraska 2021 and Beyond: ?

36. How You Can Help
Volunteer to help at your Area and the Ohio Envirothon
Little experience is needed
A variety of skills are put to use – There will be something you can do!
Hi My name is Karen Gotter, I work with Holmes County SWCD as the water quality program assistant, and am one of the area reps for Area 3, along with Wendee. I joined the committee in the fall of the same year I got hired at Holmes County, because I had experienced the Envirothon for the first time the year before, when I was volunteering with Butler SWCD. I was really interested in the concept of the Envirothon and the potential it had to offer something a little unique from standard school curriculum, testing different types of knowledge that can be undervalued in secondary education. Because I enjoyed helping the event for Area 4 take placeI took the opportunity to fill the vacant representative post for my new area, even though I had so little experience with Envirothon. I had never heard of this event before, so that kind of brings me to my whole interest in promoting these presentations to our new staff and supervisors: A lot of you (us) may have never heard of this event. But even though it takes up a minor amount of time and resources in a given year for most districts, just knowing about it and being able to speak about it a little to potential student advisors or teams would be huge!

37. How You Can Help Remember: Contributions to OEC are tax-deductible!
Recruit sponsors
Various levels appreciated, but big ones are invaluable!
In-kind contributions are welcome!
Advertising opportunities at the testing sites and awards ceremony
OEC can provide information sheets for you to distribute to potential partners
Remember: Contributions to OEC are tax-deductible!

38. How You Can Help Participate in Envirothon silent auction
Generates around $3,000 – Allows us to see how much needs to be brought in to make up the balance
A more creative approach: Get contributions from businesses & individuals you don’t normally work with or ask for assistance
An easy way to help the organization, even if you don’t have teams who participate in Envirothon

39. Envirothon Silent Auction
Offset cost of meals and lodging for students and their advisors at the Ohio Envirothon
Supplies study materials to help students prepare for both the Ohio and NCF Envirothons
Assist in registration fees for Ohio’s winning team for the NCF Envirothon as well as the cost of student/advisor travel for the event

40. How You Can Help
Support your SWCD in contributing to the Don Rehl Memorial Fund
Muskingum County hosted the 3rd National Envirothon in 1990 (and the first Envirothon contest in Ohio).
So who was Don? It took a little digging around to find out about him, but Don was committed to the Envirothon from the get-go. He was chair of the board of supervisors of Muskingum SWCD when they hosted the first Ohio Envirothon in It had begun several years earlier in Pennsylvania, but Ohio didn’t take long to jump in. Don encouraged participating in Envirthon, and exemplified that by serving on the first National Competition board. Ohio hosted the 3rd National Envirothon event in It was held at Dillon State Park. 6 teams participated: The states of Maine, Maryland, Massachussets, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Don was a judge for the event, and continued to assist and encourage the Envirothon until his death in A fund was

41. Don Rehl Memorial Fund
SWCDs, businesses, government agencies and NGO’s can contribute to the memorial fund through monetary donations
Contributions cover the expenses for the Ohio Envirothon