‘Envirothon’ gets students out of the classroom and into the woods

Students draw on knowledge of Adirondack Park in annual science competition

In an a forest of maple and yellow birch, three teams of high school students showed off their environmental scientific knowledge, the prize being a chance to represent Hamilton County in the annual state Envirothon competition. Although on May 1 in Lake Pleasant, the chance to be out of the classroom and on a trail on a sun-splashed spring morning was something of a prize in itself.

This year marked the 30th anniversary of the Envirothon, put on locally by Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District. Hiking station to station, the teams from Wells and Long Lake collaborated on exam questions testing their knowledge on soils, aquatics, forestry, wildlife and current environmental issues. 

“Everybody seems to have a good time,” said Christopher Young, a science teacher from Wells. 

Quiz time

Representatives from the Lake Champlain-Lake George Planning Board, Department of Environmental Conservation, Adirondack Experience and Natural Resources Conservation Service, aong with members of the soil and water district, administer the tests.

“This is a chance for them to do things beyond a traditional classroom setting,” Young said. “They take pride in their Adirondack home, and this shows them how to take care of it.”

The proctors aren’t allowed to help and cell phones are off limits.

“Can we use Siri?” asked a member of the Pink Fluffy Exploding Unicorns team from Wells. That wasn’t allowed either, even though, remarkably, there was cell service in the woods.

The questions on the exams are college-level, and purposely difficult to prepare them for tough competition at the state level, said Caitlin Stewart, soil and water district manager.

Drawing on local knowledge

Students use knowledge gained in freshman biology class and field trips and their experiences growing up in the Adirondack Park. Evan Mutz, a star athlete for Wells, knew all about stoneflies, for example, due to his love of fishing.

District Technician Katie WhitKovits said it was notable how much more attuned with nature Hamilton County students were compared with places she had worked outside the park.  Growing up in the Adirondacks created a natural affinity and understanding of the environment, she said.

For the exams, they needed to know terms like “adaptive capacity” and “ecosystem shifting.” There were questions on soil moisture, climate change and invasive species. They had to know the difference between a marsh and a bog and the minimal size — without special circumstances — of a wetland (12.4 acres). They needed to know the names of all the fins on a fish, and identify sounds experienced in the wild.

A talented team

Along with testing their environmental knowledge, students are able to experience real-world working conditions, Stewart said, where they will need to know how to work in teams and meet deadlines.

“These are our best and brightest, and we’d like to keep them here,” Stewart said. “Hamilton County students are so amazing. They’ve had opportunities to hunt, fish, ski — they blow the questions about wildlife out of the water.”

The Envirothon traces its roots to Pennsylvania, as the Pennsylvania Soil and Water Conservation District’s “Environmental Olympics” as a way to encourage high school students to become interested in natural resource conservation and environmental issues and careers.

Its alumni include today’s forest rangers, climate change scientists, biologists, conservationists and soil scientists.

Winners at the Hamilton County level were: first place, The Lakers of Long Lake Central Schools; second place,  Pink Fluffy Exploding Unicorns of Wells Central Schools; third place, Resource Rangers, of Wells Central Schools.

Photo at top: Teammates of the Pink Fluffy Exploding Unicorns identify a tree at the forestry station.