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Forestry Information for Educators
Fall / Winter 2001 - Issue 14

Envirothon New Brunswick

Envirothon is an environmental competition for high school students that tests their theoretical and practical knowledge of five areas of the environment: aquatics, soils, forestry, wildlife and a current issue that changes yearly. For 2001 the current issue was urban non-point source pollution.

Headquarters for the New Brunswick Envirothon competition is The Tree House, a non-profit provincial organization of the Canadian Forestry Association, committed to conservation and wise use of natural resources. This was the first year that New Brunswick held a provincial competition. It was also the first bilingual competition anywhere since Envirothon began in the United States in the late 1970s. School teams came from École Secondaire Nepisiguit, Oromocto High School, Harvey High School, Cité des Jeunes A.M. Sormany of Edmundston and Leo Hayes High School of Fredericton.

New Brunswick’s Harvey High School was the winner at the May event. It was their second time to represent New Brunswick at the International Canon Envirothon competition, since they had attended the international when it was held in Nova Scotia in 2000. Pamela Fowler, teacher-advisor for the Harvey team, believes Envirothon is an excellent teaching tool.

Pamela Fowler, teacher-advisor for the Harvey team, believes Envirothon is an excellent teaching tool. (continued on page 2) "Envirothon lets students study the chemistry and biology of the environment, but it also utilizes the knowledge that some students have from their everyday lives - working in the family woodlot or in farming or even at sports angling. Students who can identify tree species or wildlife are very important to the success of the team."

The competition is divided into two main parts. Field testing allows students to observe and analyze situations in natural environments. The presentation section gives students a problem for which they must prepare a solution that they present to the judges orally. Their presentation must also address the problem’s social, financial and environmental aspects - essential considerations in a real life situation.

Team captain for Harvey High, Siobhan Wiggans, enjoyed her year of preparation. "Envirothon is just a lot of fun - study groups, field trips, expert interviews, and, of course, the competition element. I would encourage anyone who has even a slight interest in the environment or environmental issues to get involved with their school," she said.

A number of other associations, government departments, and private companies are working with The Tree House on the Envirothon program. They are: Canadian Forest Service, J.D. Irving, Limited, the provincial departments of Natural Resources & Energy, Education, and Environment & Local Government and New Brunswick Forest Products.

The Envirothon steering committee for New Brunswick is already working on the 2002 provincial competition, which will be held next May in Fredericton at the Maritime Forestry Complex. Canon International Envirothon 2002 will be held at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.

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