The Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District is looking forward to hosting the 22nd annual Erie County Envirothon this spring.  Coordinated by the District, the Envirothon is an outdoor-oriented, hands-on, natural science competition for high school students.  Students use teamwork to complete a series of challenges in the subjects of wildlife, forestry, aquatics, soils and a current issue topic.  The 2023 Envirothon current issue topic is “Adapting to a Changing Climate.”

Not only is the Envirothon a chance for students to spend a day enjoying the outdoors, it is an excellent opportunity to learn from and connect with local field specialists.  To prepare for the Envirothon challenge, students attend a workshop at which local natural resource professionals give presentations on the various Envirothon topics.   Last year’s workshop presenters included local soil scientists, fisheries biologists, field technicians, foresters, conservationists, and naturalists. 

The 2023 Erie County Envirothon will be held on March 30, 2023 & April 27, 2023 at Village Green Park in Elma, NY.  The winning team of students at the Erie County Envirothon earns the privilege of advancing to the New York State Envirothon to be held at Hobart & William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY on May 24th & 25th, where they will compete against local Envirothon winners from counties throughout the state.  At the local and state levels, scholarships are awarded to top-scoring teams.  The winning team at the New York State Envirothon qualifies for the North American Envirothon, where high-scoring teams receive college scholarships and other great prizes.

The Erie County Envirothon is open to all students in grades 9 - 12.  Student teams may be formed from a high school, BOCES, 4-H club, FFA club, members of sovereign Native American Nations schools, home schools, or any other sanctioned local, regional, state, or nationally recognized club that sponsors youth in grades 9-12.  For more information contact the District by calling (716) 652-8480.

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