State Envirothon Set for SUNY Cobleskill

The New York State Envirothon, a competition designed to test student’s knowledge and understanding of natural resources in New York, will be held at SUNY Cobleskill for the second year in a row on May 21 and 22.

The college will host more than 300 students from 60 counties across New York. During the two-day competition teams representing their counties will be challenged to complete written exams on aquatics, soils, forestry and wildlife.  Students will also create a presentation based on a current topic of interest:   the impact of recreation on natural resources.  The challenge will include not only a formal presentation with visual aids, but to propose their best possible solution to deal with the issue.

“I think it gives them the opportunity and chance to become more environmentally aware and conscious students,” said New York State Envirothon Chair Seth Dennis, educational coordinator for Tompkins County Soil and Water District.  “We hope the students not only become competitive within the program itself, but maybe spark an interest in the field for a future career.”

The first Envirothon was held in Pennsylvania in 1979. The contest’s popularity grew to encompass a national event with more and more states hosting their own events.  New York State’s first Envirothon was held in 1990.

The winning team from New York will go on to the Canon Envirothon, North America’s largest environmental education competition, which includes teams from all over the United States and Canada. This year the Canon Envirothon will be held in Flagstaff, Ariz.