Annapolis, MD – Maryland’s brightest high school science students head to the hills, streams and woods of the Maryland countryside to compete in the first round of qualifying heats leading to the 2022 National Conservation Foundation (NCF) Envirothonthe largest high school environmental education contest in North America.
The students participating in the Maryland Envirothon have been studying the state’s natural resources since the beginning of the school year. As part of their extracurricular training, teens identify and categorize living resources, conduct soil studies, estimate wood yield from trees, and solve other complex natural resource problems. Students are taught by soil scientists, wildlife specialists, foresters, and environmental engineers from local, state, and federal agencies, as well as private environmental organizations. The contest includes a special environmental question that changes from year to year. This year’s environmental issue is Waste to resources.
Teams compete by applying their knowledge and problem-solving skills in these natural resource areas. The county team with the highest cumulative total wins the local or regional competition and qualifies for the state competition, Maryland Envirothon, scheduled for June 22 at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center in Ellicott City. The Maryland Envirothon winner will represent the state later this summer at the national competition in Oxford, Ohio, where more than 250 teenagers from the United States and Canada will compete for scholarships and prizes.
“The Envirothon does a great job of preparing teens for careers in agriculture and natural resource planning,” Secretary Joe Bartenfelder said. “It gets teens out of the classroom and into the countryside to learn from experts about agriculture, natural resources and the importance of environmental stewardship.”
The Envirothon is sponsored by the Maryland Soil Conservation Districts and the State Soil Conservation Committee and supported by other state and federal programs. Dates and contact details for upcoming County Envirothon competitions are listed below:
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Allegany County Envirothon Competition
Dated: April 27, 2022
Location: Rocky Gap State Park
Contact: Adam Heavner,
[email protected]or 240-609-3500
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Anne Arundel County Envirothon Competition
Dated: April 4, 2022
Location: Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
Contact: John Czajkowski, [email protected]or 410-571-6757
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Calvert County Envirothon Competition
Dated: April 20, 2022
Location: To be determined
Contact: Jennifer Carlson, Calvert Soil Conservation District,
[email protected]410 535-1521, ext. 3
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Cecil County Environmental Competition
Dated: May 2, 2022
Location: Fair Hill Nature Center
Contact: Mari Markkula, Cecil Soil Conservation District,
410-398-4411 ext 3
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Charles County Environmental Competition
Dated: April 13, 2022
Location: Gilbert Run Park, Charlotte Hall
Contact: Dee Saunders, Charles Soil Conservation District,
[email protected]301-638-3028
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Eastern Shore Envirothon (Dorchest, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot)
Dated: April 28, 2022
Location: Tuckahoe State Park
Contact: Jenny Lee, Kent Soil Conservation District,
[email protected]410-778-5150, ext. 3293
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Frederick County Envirothon Competition
Dated: April 26, 2022
Location: Cunningham Falls State Park
Contact: Barry Burch, Walkersville High School,
[email protected]240-215-5004 -
Harford County Envirothon Competition
Dated: April 29, 2022
Location: Eden Mill
Contact: Patrick Jones, Harford Soil Conservation District,
[email protected]410-638-4828 -
Howard County Environmental Competition
Dated: April 27, 2022
Location: Howard County Conservancy’s Mount Pleasant Farm, Woodstock
Contact: Kristal M. McCormick, Howard Soil Conservation District,
[email protected]410-313-0680
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Montgomery County Environmental Competition
Dated: Early May (to be determined)
Location: Montgomery Soil Conservation District Office
Contact: John Harne, Montgomery Soil Conservation District,
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Prince George’s County Envirothon Competition
Dated: May 4, 2022
Location: Virtual
Contact: Kim Rush Lynch, Pr. George Soil Conservation District,
[email protected]301-574-5162
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Sainte Marie county Envirothon Competition
Dated: April 6, 2022
Location: Hunter Hill Farm
Contact: Bruce Young, St. Mary’s Soil Conservation District,
[email protected], 301-475-8402 ext. 3
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Washington County Environmental Competition
Dated: April 29, 2022
Location: Washington County Public Schools Headquarters Building
Contact: Elmer Weibley, Washington County Soil Conservation District,
[email protected], 301-797-6821, ext. 3
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