📞 Call: (785) 266-9053 ext. 3 Visit: 3231 SW VanBuren Street Ste: 2 Topeka, Kansas 66611 📧 Email: [email protected]
Past Participants
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Envirothon is North America's largest high school environmental education competition. Students are also challenged to explore a current environmental issue, selected each year by the National Conservation Foundation's Envirothon Operating Committee. Using the knowledge learned from the core five subject areas, teams address the assigned current environmental issue. Working as a unit, the team must analyze a given scenario, develop a plan of action to address it and then provide an oral presentation to a panel of judges for scoring. Each team is given a real-life scenario based on the current environmental issue theme. The amount of research, cooperation, planning, and practice is always evident on the competition day.” |
The competition tests students' knowledge and skills in five content areas: Soils & Land Use Forestry Wildlife Aquatic Ecology Rangeland Management |
Future Competitions
The NCF-Envirothon Annual Competition is held in a different U.S. state or Canadian province each year. One year, teams might delve into complex issues related to rangeland management in the western United States, while the next year could see them exploring the effects of climate change on coastal communities in eastern Canada. By rotating the hosting locations annually, we can provide students with exposure to a variety of environmental challenges, ecosystems, and geographical features. Planning for each year's competition location begins several years in advance of the actual event. To assist Envirothon member programs in their preparations, we typically announce the next host location one and a half years ahead of the event. For details regarding upcoming competitions, please refer to the information provided below. 2027 NCF-Envirothon Maryland Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg, MD Dates: July 25 - 31, 2027 Soil Health Management What Students Will Learn: The 2027 Envirothon Current Issue challenges students to explore the biological, chemical, and physical principles of soil health and their importance to sustainable agriculture. Participants will learn:
By examining real-world agricultural practices and conservation strategies, students will gain a deeper understanding of how soil stewardship supports productive farms, healthy ecosystems, and resilient communities. Preparing the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders. The 2027 Envirothon Current Issue encourages students to think critically about the connection between agriculture and environmental stewardship. Through the study of soil health management, participants will develop the knowledge and skills needed to address future challenges in food production, water quality, and natural resource conservation. Healthy soils are the foundation of healthy ecosystems—and the future of sustainable agriculture depends on protecting and improving this vital resource. |
Agricultural Principles and Stewardship
Building Healthy Soils for a Sustainable Future The 2027 Envirothon Current Issue focuses on Soil Health Management: Agricultural Principles and Stewardship, highlighting the critical role healthy soils play in supporting productive agriculture, protecting water resources, and sustaining ecosystems. As environmental challenges continue to impact agricultural landscapes, understanding and managing soil health has become essential for long-term conservation and food production. Soil Health Principles: Soil as a Living Ecosystem Healthy soil is much more than a growing medium—it is a dynamic, living ecosystem filled with organisms that drive nutrient cycling, improve soil structure, and support plant growth. Soil health principles emphasize the importance of managing soil to maintain its biological, chemical, and physical functions.
By treating soil as a living resource, farmers and land managers can build resilience against drought, reduce erosion, improve water infiltration, and enhance overall agricultural productivity. Healthy soils are the foundation of sustainable agriculture and the long-term protection of our natural resources. Cover Crops: Protecting and Improving Soil Cover crops have become one of the most successful soil conservation practices used throughout the United States. These crops are planted primarily to protect and improve soil rather than for harvest. Benefits of cover crops include:
Conservation Tillage and No-Till Farming: Conservation tillage and no-till farming are important management practices that minimize soil disturbance. By leaving crop residue on the soil surface, these approaches help preserve soil structure and create favorable conditions for soil organisms. Key benefits include:
Soil Health and Water Quality: Farmers and conservation professionals across the country are using soil health principles to restore degraded soils and reduce environmental impacts. Improved soil structure and biological activity help increase infiltration, allowing rainfall to move into the soil rather than running off the land. As a result, healthy soils can:
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Kansas Youth Range Camp & Kansas Range for Adults
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Envirothon Range Camp Sponsorship Opportunity
for Shawnee County High School Students Attention Shawnee County Educators, Grades 10–12: The Shawnee County Conservation District would like to support local students participating in Envirothon by helping cover the cost of attending Kansas Range Youth Camp. Envirothon gives high school students the opportunity to build knowledge and problem-solving skills in natural resources, including soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology, and rangeland management. Range camp is a valuable hands-on experience that can help students strengthen their understanding of Kansas rangelands while preparing for Envirothon competition. Through Kansas Range Youth Camp, students explore topics such as plant identification, grazing management, livestock nutrition, wildlife habitat, conservation practices, and land stewardship. The camp is designed for high school students entering grades 10–12 and provides an engaging outdoor learning environment for students interested in agriculture, conservation, natural resources, wildlife, or environmental science. Educators are encouraged to share this opportunity with students who may be interested in Envirothon, agriculture, conservation, wildlife, natural resources, or outdoor learning.
SCCD hopes this sponsorship will encourage more Shawnee County students to participate in Envirothon and take advantage of additional learning opportunities that connect classroom lessons to real-world conservation work. For more information about sponsorship availability or student eligibility, please contact the Shawnee County Conservation District. |
📞 Call: (785) 266-9053 ext. 3 Visit: 3231 SW VanBuren Street Ste: 2 Topeka, Kansas 66611 📧 Email: [email protected]
