MADISON – Wisconsin Envirothon, sponsored by WI Land+Water, was held on Friday, April 11, 2025 at the Wisconsin Lions Camp in Rosholt, WI.  Wisconsin Envirothon is the state’s ultimate middle and high school environmental science challenge where teams of four or five high school or middle school students participate in four hands-on, mostly outdoor field challenges designed by natural resources professionals and educators. 

Schools from across the state enjoyed a beautiful sunny spring day testing their knowledge at various stations where they participated in multiple hands-on challenges. These exams are based on four categories: aquatic ecology, forestry, soils/land use, and wildlife. 

Students identified tree species and measured tree diameters in the woods and assessed the engineering and agronomic properties of soils at the soils and land use station. They also identified aquatic invertebrates and invasive plants, as well as wildlife pelts and tracks. Additionally, they tested their classroom knowledge on written exams.

“This year we had 23 teams compete with 4 of them who have never competed before,” said Kim Warkentin, Youth Education Director for WI Land+Water. “We are thrilled that we had a record number of teams competing this year and our committee will continue to grow our participation making this one-of-a-kind hands-on environmental science competition available to any school who wants to compete.  We love that we have schools returning each year who see this competition as a way for students to engage in challenging interactive hands-on exams based on topics and careers in the natural resources field where they learn to work in a team environment.” 

Another critical part of the competition is the Team Presentation where students must work as a team to present on a current issue. Students were given three weeks to prepare a team presentation, based around this year’s Current Issue: Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change. The Current Issue team presentation provides an opportunity to join fundamental knowledge and reasoning ability to understand and articulate today’s critical environmental concerns. 

Participating in Wisconsin Envirothon helps students develop knowledge and skills to either pursue careers in conservation or use their knowledge to preserve our natural resources in whatever civic and career choices that lie ahead.

"It still holds true that students who compete at Envirothon get hands-on experiences that many don’t experience until college,” said CHS Science Teacher, Katie Schlicht. “Envirothon has been a great way to connect students with professionals in our local community. By having guest speakers come to our meetings, students able to ask questions and see what a career in natural resources might look like.” 

For a second year in a row, Cedarburg High School took the overall win and will be representing Wisconsin at the National Conservation Foundation-Envirothon taking play July 20-26, 2025, at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 

The following teams won first place in the following categories:

Aquatic Ecology: 
High School – Middleton High School
Middle School – Webster Middle School

Forestry: 
High School – Alma High School FFA
Middle School – Webster Middle School

Soils and Land Use: 
High School – Green Bay Preble High School FFA
Middle School – Webster Middle School

Wildlife: 
High School -Sun Prairie East High School FFA
Middle School –Webster Middle School

Team Presentations: 
High School – Middleton High School
Middle School – Webster Middle School

First Place FFA School: 
Green Bay Preble High School FFA

Overall: 
High School - Cedarburg High School 
Middle School- Webster Middle School

The Wisconsin Envirothon is a program of WI Land+Water, led by its Youth Education Committee, and is made possible by the many generous volunteers made up of natural resource professionals and educators. The event also relies on the volunteer and financial support of many agency partners, county conservation departments, and organizations and businesses that are dedicated to conservation.