New York Ag Connection - Students Win New York State Envirothon Contest

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Students Win New York State Envirothon Contest
New York Ag Connection - 05/31/2016

State Department of Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball congratulated the student winners of the 27th annual New York State Envirothon Competition, which took place at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. The team from Mount Academy in Ulster County was named New York State Champions at the long-standing environmental science competition, which challenges students on their knowledge of natural resource science, public speaking, and civic engagement. Skaneateles High School in Onondaga County and Candor Central School in Tioga County were awarded second and third place.

Commissioner Ball said, "I congratulate all of the participating students on their success at the Envirothon Competition and for being ambassadors of the environment for New York State. The Department of Agriculture and Markets, through its Land and Water Resources Division, works hard to help the agricultural industry implement best practices to address important issues like water and soil quality and climate change. I'm proud to know that we have so many young people in our State who are excited about the environment and know we will be in good hands with their leadership."

More than 48 teams from across New York State went head-to-head over their knowledge of environmental science and natural resource management during the two-day competition. The teams, made up of 5 students from 9th to 12th grades, qualified at the regional level and received invitations to the state competition.

The student team from Mount Academy will now represent New York State at the NCF-Envirothon this summer at Trent University in Ontario, Canada. Each member of the team received a scholarship and the team will compete against other top teams from the U.S. and Canada in Ontario.

The Envirothon Competition is a series of field station tests in the areas of soils/land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and an emerging environmental issue. The 2016 environmental issue focused on invasive species, specifically the management of Hydrilla and an aquatic invasive species.

The 2016 New York State Envirothon was made possible through the contributions of several sponsors and partnering agencies, including the New York State Department of Agriculture and Market. The Department's Land and Water Division works to protect New York's land and water resources through farmland protection, farmland conservation and proactive environmental stewardship.

Many federal and state environmental agencies, soil and water conservation districts, and higher education institutions provide expertise and help organize the event.

Chairman of the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee Dale Stein said, "I want to congratulate all the participants and winners of the Envirothon. The Envirothon is a great program to bring forth the next generation of leaders in protecting, preserving and improving the environment for the generations that follow us. It is a testament to our young people for the commitment they have made to compete in the Envirothon. Congratulations to all involved and thank you."

President of the Conservation District Employees Association PJ Emerick, said, "The Envirothon is a tremendous event for the next leaders in conservation. We're very proud of our partnerships that make this event so successful. Congratulations to all of participants and winners, and thank you to all the volunteers that make the event possible."

The New York State Envirothon is coordinated by the New York State Envirothon Committee consisting of members of the NYS Conservation District Employees Association, NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. The program services hundreds of high school students throughout New York State and the five city boroughs. Winning teams from regional and county Envirothon competitions advance to the state level and then to the national level Envirothon, earning awards and scholarships at each level. The program is funded from contributions and grants from individuals, businesses, and organizations. Contributions are tax deductible through the NYS Environmental Education Foundation and 100% of all contributions go towards the program. Additional information about the program and sponsorship opportunities can be found at www.nysenvirothon.net.

Sponsors of the 2016 NYS Envirothon include: Environmental Education Foundation, NYS Conservation District Employees Association (NYSCDEA), NY Association of Conservation Districts (NYACD), NYS Soil & Water Conservation Committee (SWCC), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Meadowview Tree Farm Nursery LLC., Serendipity Expressions, Cattaraugus County Trappers Association, Dominion Gas Transmission, Seneca Meadows Landfill, Terrell's Potato Chip Company, Stewart's Shop.

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