Congratulations to the Envirothon team from Academies of Loudoun who competed in our Local and Area competitions to make it all the way to the state competition at VSU on May 21-22, 2023!! Pictured from left to right: Jiho Oh, Samhitha Kolapalli, Juliet Correll, Seth Gardner, Mani Ajdari.

What is Envirothon?

The Virginia Dominion Energy Envirothon is a team based natural resources competition for high school students. Students who participate learn stewardship and management concepts and work to solve real world environmental problems. The program is field-oriented, community based and gives students an opportunity to work with natural resource professionals.

Click HERE for a video overview of the Virginia Dominion Envirothon competition!

Who makes up a team and what do they do?

Students work in teams of five.  Throughout the school year students prepare to compete at the local level, qualify to then compete at the area level (Loudoun County is part of Area II) and the top three teams from each of the six Soil & Water Conservation District areas in the state compete to be the State Winner.  These teams of high school students are tested on their knowledge of natural resources-soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatics and a current environmental issue.  Students visit five “in-the-field” test stations where written and hands-on problem solving is required along with an oral presentation formulating a strategy to address a specific environmental issue they’ve been presented with.  The event is competitive but education is the bottom line.

Teams can be created through school clubs, classes, home school groups, 4-H groups, scout troops, local nature centers etc.  The only requirements of at team are a minimum of five students and one adult advisor/chaperone.

Want to get involved? Contact Jessie.Freeland@lswcd.org to learn more.

The oral presentation subject will be “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change”  Details on this year’s Envirothon Program will be shared along with the unveiling of the 2025 Oral Presentation Scenario. A introductory event was recorded and shared for those who were unable to attend live. You can contact byron.minson@vaswcd.org with any questions about this event.

Envirothon 2024-25 information:

SAVE THE DATE – Graves Mountain Training will be held November 23, 2024 at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, VA. Registration will be available this fall. This is an all-day event that allows students and coaches to learn more about the Envirothon competition by rotating through all of the topics students will be tested on.  Subject matter experts will be leading the training at each station (Forestry, Soils, Aquatics, Wildlife and the Special Topic: Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change https://envirothon.org/2025-alberta/.

Local Envirothon Competition: March 15th 2025 @ Hal and Berni Hanson Regional Park in Aldie Va.

Area 2 Envirothon Competition: April 26th @ Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Leesburg Va.

State Envirothon Competition: May 18-19, 2025 (Location TDB)

 

Additional Resources & Information:

Virginia’s Envirothon program is also supported through the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund. Proceeds from the sale of the Bay license plates help citizens keep the bay healthy by restoring wetlands, planting buffers around waterways, promoting marine life restoration, decreasing pollution and providing educational programs like Envirothon.  To purchase a Bay license plate visit: https://dls.virginia.gov/commissions/cbr.htm