The Envirothon is an annual environmental competition for high school students.  The Luzerne Conservation District coordinates and sponsors the Luzerne County Envirothon each spring.  The event is for Luzerne County high school students in grades 9 – 12. It tests their knowledge of the environment at five testing stations: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, and a Current Issue, which changes each year.

MMI Team Wins 2010 Luzerne County Envirothon

1st Place Team from MMI Prep

The 31st Annual Luzerne County Envirothon took place on May 5, 2010 at the PPL’s Susquehanna Riverlands in Berwick. 155 students representing 33 teams from 11 different schools competed in the event with MMI Preparatory School’s Team-A achieving the overall highest score.  They will go on to compete at the PA State Envirothon at PPL Montour Preserve on May 26, 2010.  The following schools placed 2nd through 4th respectively: Wyoming Valley West –Team A, Crestwood –Team A, and Wyoming Area –Team A.

The Envirothon is an environmental competition for students in grades 9-12 which tests their knowledge of Soils and Land Use, Aquatics, Forestry, Wildlife, and a Current Issue.  The current issue topic this year was “Protection of Groundwater through Urban, Agricultural and Environmental Planning”.  Each station is facilitated by a different agency: Luzerne Conservation District, PA Fish & Boat Commission, DCNR Bureau of Forestry, PA Game Commission, and DCNR Bureau of Parks. The Luzerne Conservation District coordinates the competition and encourages every school in the county to participate. This year the following schools put their skills to the test: James M. Coughlin JSHS, Crestwood HS, GAR JSHS, Greater Nanticoke Area HS, Hazleton Area HS, Elmer L. Meyers JSHS, MMI Preparatory School, Northwest Area HS, Pittston Area HS, Wyoming Valley West HS and Wyoming Area JSHS. Staff members from the Department of Environmental Protection in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne Conservation District staff and directors, and PPL staff volunteered at the Envirothon by monitoring teams and testing stations, assisting with the scoring, and handing out refreshments. PPL was very generous in allowing us to use their well-maintained and spacious grounds for the event.  We also recognize PPL for providing lunch and refreshments, as well as Hillside Farms for regularly donating white and chocolate milk and Dominos Pizza in Berwick.

For additional information please contact the Luzerne Conservation District by telephone at 570-674-7991.

Helpful Links:

AQUATICSPA Fish & Boat Commission & eNature

WILDLIFEPA Game Commission & eNature

FORESTRYPA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

SOILS AND LAND USEUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Penn State’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, & The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History’s Dig It! The Secrets of Soil site

CURRENT ISSUEPA Envirothon

(2010 Current Issue: Protection of  Groundwater through Urban, Agricultural, and Environmental Planning)

PA Envirothon

Cannon Envirothon (International)