What is Envirothon?

Envirothon is an annual competition in which teams compete for recognition and scholarships by demonstrating their knowledge of environmental science and natural resource management. The teams, each consisting of five to six students from participating schools, home study groups and environmental clubs, exercise their training and problem solving skills in a competition centered on five testing categories: Soils/Land Use, Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Wildlife and an annually-changing subtopic which focuses on relevant environmental issues. Envirothon combines in-class and hands-on environmental education in a competition setting which involves a problem-solving oral presentation as well as written field tests.

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What happens at the Envirothon event?

Various workshops, field trips, and seminars led by professionals and educators will be scheduled throughout the 3 day event. Teams will split up to attend as many sessions as possible. Most of these outings are linked to the current issue topic and provide information on the area in which the competition is being held.

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How does the testing component work? 

During the competition, each team must complete five written field tests, each dealing with a different topic (Soils/Land Use, Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Wildlife, annual issue). These tests consist of various question types, including identifications and hands-on assessments. 

Each team must also prepare an oral presentation on the current issue topic, which the team presents to a panel of judges. An important element of the competition is the understanding that each topic is interrelated, and understanding human effects on the environment and how human activities connect with ecosystem functions. Each test is scored out of 100 points, with the presentation being scored out of 200 points. The team with the highest cumulative total of points at the end of the scoring is the winning team.

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How do we prepare for Envirothon?

​Key Topics and Learning Objectives are provided for the current issue. A physical “EduKit” may be mailed to you that contains various field guides, tools, etc. Photographs of EduKit contents can be found at: https://www.albertaenvirothon.org/study