The 18th annual Missouri Envirothon will be held at the Lincoln University George Washington Carver Farm in Jefferson City on Thursday, April 28.
"Events like Envirothon stimulate and enhance students’ interest in the environment and the state’s natural resources," said Sara Parker Pauley, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. "In order to protect our natural resources for future generations, it’s vital for students interested in environmental sciences to have events like this to pursue their passion."
The one-day competition will test 18 teams in areas of soils, wildlife, aquatics, current issue, and forestry stations. Students will be engaged in hands-on activities, which range from using scientific equipment, studying and analyzing soil and forest samples, to measuring tree heights. The program focuses on developing teamwork, cooperation and problem-solving skills. In addition, each team will present a 10-minute solution to an assigned problem. This year's conservation topic is invasive species.
The top three winners from each of the state's seven regional events can participate. The state winner will advance to the National Conservation Federation (NCF) Envirothon that will be held at Trent University in Ontario, Canada. The Envirothon is North America’s largest high school natural resources competition with over 50 U.S. states and Canadian provinces competing at the national level.
Sponsors for this event include the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Missouri Soil and Water Conservation District Employees Association, Missouri Department of Conservation, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Smithfield Foods.
More information is available at moenvirothon.org or http://dnr.mo.gov/env/swcp/envirothon.htm