On April 8, Pike and Wayne County Conservation Districts announced the winners of the 2019 Pike/Wayne Envirothon-- Canaan Christian Academy, Delaware Valley, Honesdale, Wallenpaupack and Western Wayne High School.  They will go on to compete in the Statewide Envirothon in May.

Local students are preparing for the local Pike/Wayne event using field guides to identify bird songs and tree species; by rubbing dampened soil between their fingers to determine its texture and consulting a soil survey for potential land uses; and by identifying organisms that live underwater in our streams and rivers to assess the health of local waterways.

Five-member teams compete by applying their knowledge and problem-solving skills in subject areas that include: Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils/Land Use, Wildlife, and Current Issue which is “Agriculture and the Environment: Knowledge and Technology to Feed the World.”

Each year County Conservation Districts and State Envirothon Coordinators partner with the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fish and Boat Commission, Game Commission, Department of Conservation and Natural Resource Bureaus of Forestry and  State Parks, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Education to bring this event to each county and then the state event.

These committed partners provide educational reference materials for high school teams as well as technical expertise, knowledge, and manpower at the event.

The Pike/Wayne Envirothon would not be possible without the financial contributions of local businesses. Donations support this successful youth conservation program and assist with the purchase of Envirothon t-shirts, educational prizes, and awards for the event.

This year’s sponsors include Alice’s Wonderland, Brookfield Renewable, Davis R. Chant Realtors, Creamworks Creamery, Dirlam Bros. Lumber Company, Dutch's Market, Dyberry Sand & Gravel Co., Elegante' Restaurant & Pizzeria, The Hideout Property Owner’s Association, Honesdale Farm & Garden, Honesdale National Bank, Nature’s Grace Health Foods & Deli, New Wave Inc., Northern Tier Hardwood Association, Pennsylvania Trappers Association District 9, Professional Forest Industry Association, RE/MAX Wayne, Wallenpaupack Veterinary Clinic, and Woodloch Pines Resort.

Additional funding for this year’s Pike/Wayne Envirothon was provided by the Pennsylvania Envirothon Inc. through its education grants with the Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Education Fund and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The 2019 event included a live birds of prey presentation by Delaware Valley Raptor Center.

The Pike/Wayne Envirothon is coordinated by the Pike and Wayne County Conservation Districts. To find out more about the Envirothon please contact the Pike County Conservation District office at 570-226-8220 or the Wayne Conservation District at 570-253-0930.

Envirothon

The winner of the statewide Envirothon competition will move on to the international Envirothon competition in July at the North Carolina State University Raleigh campus.

Pennsylvania teams have won the now international Envirothon competition in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2017.  (No pressure here.)

And, actually, they should because conservation districts in Pennsylvania were the first to develop the Envirothon environmental knowledge competition program for high school students.

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Envirothon website, call 814-310-3271 or contact Lorelle Steach by sending email to: lsteach@envirothonpa.org.    You can also contact your county conservation district.

(Photos: Wayne County Commissioner Joseph Adams; from left to right, the 2018 Pike/Wayne Envirothon overall winning team, the Wayne Highlands School District Spudsters from Honesdale High School: Matthew Wherman, Emma Olver, Camille Stanton, Lora Protzman, Madison Palmer, advisor Michelle Tonkin; and Wayne County Commissioner Wendell Kay, back right.

Pike County Commissioner Steve Guccini; from left to right, the 2018 Pike/Wayne Envirothon second place team, Enviro Freaks of Wallenpaupack Area High School: George Carl, Tristan Galdys, Lily Winagle, Abby Soskil, Ella Clabaugh; and former Pike County Commissioner Richard Caridi.)

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[Posted: April 9, 2019]

4/15/2019