Envirothon

The Envirothon challenges the students’ environmental knowledge and problem solving skills. It began nationwide in 1979 and in Minnesota in 1993. The Area II event is put on by staff members from 9 of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Minnesota’s west-central area. The Envirothon consists of five 25-minute outdoor learning stations, each based on a different topic that’s key to the environment. Area natural resource professionals give a presentation at each station and then teams take a test to assess their knowledge of the topic. The five different 2005 stations were Forestry, Wildlife, Aquatics, Soils, and the current event topic “Recreational Impact on Natural Resources.” Each team is also required to give an oral presentation on the current event topic.

Area II also hosts a Jr Envirothon, for students in 6-8th grades. The competition is modeled after and is designed to help younger students prepare for the senior Envirothon.

The Morris senior team placed third overall and third in the oral presentations at the 2012 Area II Envirothon held at the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center near Spicer. Team members, l to r: Kjersa Anderson, Beth Holland, Bryce Jergenson, Peter Erickson, Yasha Hoffman and Advisor Dylan Viss.

Students learn about the environment in an outdoor setting during this day-long competition. Teams give presentations each year on the topic of that year's Current Issue. Winners at the area level can move on to state and national competitions as well.

The Stevens SWCD realizes the importance of environmental education and is proud to coordinate the Area II Envirothon competition and sponsor area teams’ participation at the state level. Students and advisors alike enjoy this opportunity to learn about the natural environment through the hands-on activities in an outdoor setting. It is becoming increasingly harder for schools to find time and get funding to attend events like this. Even so, we are seeing tougher competition from the teams that are able to make it and we appreciate the extra effort involved.