BALTIMORE (June 16, 1998) -- High school students from all over Maryland will converge on the Lathrop Environmental Center in Montgomery County from June 18 to June 20 to determine what high school will represent Maryland at the National Envirothon to be held at Michigan State University in August.
The objectives of the Envirothon are to test students' environmental knowledge and understanding of State resources and to instill a desire to learn more about the natural world. This is a year-long learning process where students, organized into teams of five, are trained and tested through a series of written and field exams on five subjects: soil, aquatics, wildlife, forestry and a specific environmental issue, which changes from year to year. The fifth topic this year is watershed management. Previous topical subjects have included nonpoint source pollution, acid deposition and pesticides.
The state competition is sponsored by the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts and the State Soil Conservation Districts. The Maryland departments of the Environment, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Mettiki Coal, BGE, FMC, Gladfelter Pulp Woods, Wheelabrator and Wall Mart.
The Envirothon began in Pennsylvania in 1979. The idea was adopted in Ohio and Massachusetts, leading to the first National Environthon competition in 1988. Presently, the five-day National Envirothon competition plays host to teams representing 40 U.S. states and Canada provinces. Teams winning at the national competition will receive Canon National Envirothon Scholarships, totaling $25,000.
The media is invited to observe the state competition. For more information, contact George Harman of MDE at (410) 631-3183, Craig Hartstock of the Allegany Soil Conservation District, Craig Zinter of the Talbot County Soil Conservation District, or any of the local soil conservation district offices listed below.
- Allegany (301) 777-1747
- Anne Arundel (410) 222-7822
- Baltimore County (410) 666-1188
- Calvert (410) 535-1521
- Caroline (410) 479-0630
- Carroll (410) 848-8200
- Catoctin (301) 695-2803
- Cecil (410) 398-2482
- Charles (301) 934-9590
- Dorchester (410) 228-3733
- Frederick (301) 695-2803
- Garrett (301) 334-1900
- Howard (410) 465-3180
- Kent (410) 778-5150
- Montgomery (301) 590-2855
- Prince George's (301) 952-3930
- Queen Anne's (410) 758-3136
- St. Mary's (301) 475-8402
- Somerset (410) 651-0390
- Talbot (410) 822-1577
- Washington (301) 797-6821
- Wicomico (410) 546-4731
- Worcester (410) 632-1993
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