MADISON – WI Land+Water’s Envirothon, sponsored by the Outdoor Heritage Education Center and many other Wisconsin organizations, was held on Earth Day in Rosholt, WI at the Wisconsin Lions Camp on Friday, April 22, 2022. Wisconsin Envirothon is Wisconsin’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 spent a rainy, blustery spring day testing their knowledge at various stations where they participated in multiple hands-on challenges. These exams are based on four categories: forestry, soils/land use, aquatic ecology, 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.

“It was great to bring the schools and resource professionals back together for an in-person event after two years,” said Kim Warkentin, Youth Education Director for WI Land+Water. In 2020 the WI Envirothon was cancelled due to the pandemic and in 2021 the WI Envirothon was held virtually.

This year’s Envirothon was a hybrid event, and students delivered a virtual team presentation the week prior to the in-person competition. Students were given three weeks to prepare their team presentations, which were based around this year’s Current Issue: Waste to Resources. The Current Issue team presentation provides an opportunity to join fundamental knowledge and reasoning ability to understand and articulate today’s critical environmental concerns. “Envirothon was a fun and educational opportunity that allowed me to meet new people, and learn more about environmental sciences,” said Emily Nunn, a student from Vernon Area High School.

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.

“We love the Envirothon, it gives the students the best opportunity to work together to show off their academic skills they have learned in the classroom in real world scenarios,” said Kristen Kvalheim, Sun Prairie East High School Agricultural Education Global Food and Sustainability Academy FFA Advisor. “It is the true application of their learning.”

Sun Prairie High School FFA took the title of Overall winner for the High School level, and will represent Wisconsin at the National Conservation Foundation-Envirothon taking place July 24-July 30, 2022 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

The following teams won first place in the following categories:

Aquatic Ecology:
High School - Ladysmith High School
Middle School - Fox River Academy

Forestry:
High School - Ladysmith High School
Middle School - Fox River Academy

Soils and Land Use:
High School - Wildlands Charter High School
Middle School - Aldo Leopold Community School

Wildlife:
High School -Sun Prairie High School FFA
Middle School - Fox River Academy Team

Team Presentations:
High School - Sun Prairie High School FFA
Middle School - Aldo Leopold Community School

First Place FFA School:
Sun Prairie High School FFA

Overall:
High School - Sun Prairie High School FFA
Middle School- Aldo Leopold Community 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.

For a complete list of winners and financial supporters visit: wisconsinlandwater.org/our-work/youth-education/envirothon/envirothon-2022

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WI Land+Water is a nonprofit organization that supports the local and statewide efforts of all county land conservation committee supervisors and conservation staff across Wisconsin. Its mission is to protect, conserve, and enhance Wisconsin’s natural recourses by advocating for and supporting county conservation efforts, for current and future generations.

Click here to download the Wisconsin Envirothon Logo

Connect with the Wisconsin Envirothon on Facebook: facebook.com/wienvirothon