An all-time record number of students – 95 from 9 area high schools – are moving into the final days of preparation for the annual Westmoreland County-wide environmental competition known as the Envirothon.

This exciting academic event, which has been hosted by the Westmoreland Conservation District since 1986, will pit teams of ninth-to-twelfth grade students against each other in outdoor settings that test their knowledge of the natural world. 

This year’s competition will be held at Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg on April 28.

During this hands-on competition, students may be asked to measure a tree, analyze organisms from a stream, or feel handfuls of soil to identify the type.  They will work as a team to answer questions of fact and use their critical-thinking skills to find solutions to reality-based challenges, such as how to balance use and conservation of our natural resources.

Topics include forestry, soil and land use, aquatic ecology, wildlife, and this year’s environmental issue: sustainable agriculture – locally grown.  A local farmer will be on hand to talk with students about his experiences working on a small farm.

The 95 students scheduled to participate in this competition represent Burrell High School, Derry Area High School, Greensburg Central Catholic High School, Kiski Area High School, Greater Latrobe High School, Mount Pleasant Area High School, Norwin High School, Southmoreland High School, and Yough Senior High School. Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas will present awards to the top three teams.

The winning Westmoreland County team will go on to compete in the Pennsylvania State Envirothon at Susquehanna University and PPL Montour Preserve on May 20 and 21.

This year’s Westmoreland County Envirothon received funding support from Pennsylvania Envirothon, Inc., and a number of cooperating agencies assist the Westmoreland Conservation District in hosting the event, including: the Game Commission, Fish and Boat Commission, the DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Environmental Protection.

For more information, visit the PA Envirothon website.

4/21/2014