Maryland Teens Gear Up for First Round of Envirothon Competitions

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 4, 2007) -- Across Maryland, teenagers are grabbing their binoculars, pulling on their waterproof boots, and consulting their field guides as they gear up to take part in the first round of competitions leading up to the 2007 Canon Envirothon, North America's largest and most prestigious natural resources event for high school students.

"Envirothon is one of the best opportunities for young people to learn about the natural resources that surround us all," said Agriculture Secretary Roger L. Richardson. "Through their participation in this annual event, students display their dedication to long-term stewardship of the land. The future of our farms depends upon the hard work and understanding of the next generation."

Students participating in the Envirothon have been studying the state's natural resources all year. The learning experience and competition take place in a variety of outdoor and indoor settings. During their training, the teenagers identify and categorize living resources, perform soil surveys, estimate wood yield from trees, and solve other complex natural resource issues. They receive hands-on instruction from natural resource professionals including foresters, soil scientists, wildlife specialists and environmental engineers from local, state and federal agencies as well as private environmental organizations.

Teams compete by applying their knowledge and problem-solving skills in these areas. The county team with the highest cumulative total wins the local competition and advances to the Maryland Envirothon scheduled for June 19-21 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The winner of the Maryland Envirothon earns the right to represent the state at the 2007 Canon Envirothon. More than 300 of the brightest teenagers from across the United States and Canada will participate in this rigorous competition slated for later this summer in Geneva, New York. Envirothon is sponsored by Maryland's soil conservation districts and the State Soil Conservation Committee. Following are the dates and contacts for upcoming county Envirothon competitions:

Calvert County Envirothon Competition
Date: April 27, 2007
Location: Kings Landing State Park
Contact: Linda Subda, Calvert County Schools, 410-535-2960

Charles County Envirothon Competition
Date: April 18, 2007
Location: Gilbert Run Park
Contact: Luis Dieguez, Charles Soil Conservation District, 301-934-9588, ext. 3

St. Mary's County Envirothon Competition
Date: April 26, 2007
Location: TBD
Contact: Haley Carter, St. Mary's Soil Conservation District, 301-475-8402, ext. 3