The Anne Arundel Soil Conservation District is hosting its annual Anne Arundel County Enviroton event on Friday, April 13 at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center in Millersville.
The Envirothon is a hands-on, environmental problem-solving competition for high school-aged students. Participating teams compete to test their knowledge and skills in five natural resource categories: soils/landuse, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and a current environmental issue.
“The Envirothon is a highlight event for the District,” said John Czajkowski, District Manager for the Anne Arundel Soil Conservation District. “Our staff and board of supervisors look forward to this event every year.”
This year’s “5th issue” is western rangeland management and pasture management. Envirothon teams will learn how Best Management Practices (BMPs) are used to protect western rangelands, improve grazing management schemes, promote pest management, reduce uncontrolled wildfires, and improve habitat for sage grouse and other wildlife.
“Pasture management also applies to farms in Maryland,” Czajkowski said. “Livestock are an important component of our agricultural industry in Anne Arundel County. The District works with local farmers to ensure that pastures and soils are properly managed.”
Last year, a team from South River High School took first place among 15 teams that competed in the Anne Arundel Envirothon.
The winning team from this year’s local competition will advance to the Maryland Envirothon which takes place at the Maryland 4-H Environmental Education and Camping Center in Garrett County on June 14 and 15.
Winners from state competitions advance to the National Envirothon on July 24 through 29 at Idaho State University.
In Anne Arundel County, the Envirothon competition is largely sponsored by the Anne Arundel Soil Conservation District. Other key partners include the Anne Arundel County Public Schools, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Department of Natural Resources along with other state agencies and organizations. More information about the Envirothon can be found at aascd.org.
