On April 25, 75 students from seven Westmoreland County high schools will compete at Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg to see which team has the most knowledge of the natural world.  The winning team will go on to compete in the state competition.  

This exciting academic event, known as the Envirothon, has been hosted by the Westmoreland County Conservation District since 1986. 

Teams of 9th through 12th grade students compete in outdoor settings that test their knowledge of the natural world.

During the hands-on competition, students may be asked to identify a bird call, measure a tree, 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 in the competition include forestry, soil and land use, aquatic ecology, wildlife, and this year’s current environmental issue: invasive species.

The 75 students scheduled to participate in this year’s competition represent Burrell High School, Franklin Regional Senior High School, Greater Latrobe Senior High School, Mount Pleasant Area-Junior Senior High School, Norwin High School, Southmoreland High School, and Yough Senior High School.

The winning Westmoreland County team will go on to compete in the Pennsylvania State Envirothon at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove and Camp Mt. Luther in Mifflinburg on May 24 and 25.

This year’s Westmoreland County Envirothon received funding support from the Pennsylvania Envirothon, Inc., Apex Energy, LLC, and Smithfield.

A number of cooperating agencies also assist the Westmoreland Conservation District in hosting the event, including: the Game Commission, Fish and Boat Commission, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, Department of Environmental Protection, Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

For more information on programs, initiatives, training and other special events, visit the Westmoreland County Conservation District website.  Click Here to sign up for the District’s newsletter (bottom of right column on homepage).

For information on the State Envirothon, visit the PA Envirothon website.  Click Here to sign up for the PA Envirothon newsletter (bottom of the page).

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4/25/2016