Envirothon

A Natural Resource Competition for High School Students

Envirothon is a nationwide program that brings together high school students interested in natural resources and environmental science. The fun and competitive spirit of Envirothon motivates students to learn about real-world problems and solutions, and culminates in regional competitions, followed by the Washington State competition, and the national competition every summer with teams coming from across the U.S. and Canada.
Teams from Pierce County participate in the South Puget Sound Regional event in April at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge against other teams of high school students from Thurston, Lewis, Kitsap, Mason, and Grays Harbor Counties. Teams rotate through a series of stations where they are tested on the topics of aquatics, forestry, soils/land use, and wildlife. In addition to these subjects, there is a featured issue every year, which is explored through a team presentation. 

Students from the Tacoma School District’s Science and Math Institute work together to answer questions at the Forestry station during the South Puget Sound Regional Envirothon Competition, May 2015.

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The Pierce Conservation District is committed to encouraging the participation of local teams, and may be able to provide assistance in the form of study materials, transportation, or other support that a team might need. Plus, if a Pierce County team wins regionals, the District will pay the team’s registration for the state competition! 

For more information on what Envirothon is, how it works, how to form a team, or how to enter, contact Sam Hain at (253) 845-9770 or SamH@Piercecd.org, or Jayme Gordon at (253) 845-9770 ext. 102 or jaymeg@piercecd.org.

Members of the Tacoma School District’s Science and Math Institute’s Envirothon team study lichens, mosses, and algae with their advisor, Bethany Schmidt (second from left), in preparation of the regional competition.

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