ROSS, Ohio — On any other afternoon the grounds of the Fernald Nature Preserve in Hamilton County are quite tranquil.

But for one day in April the site was stirring with more than 400 high-schoolers competing in the 2017 Area IV Envirothon. Students from 18 counties in southwestern Ohio tested their knowledge of soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology and current environmental issues.

 

Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) officials say the purpose of the event is to stimulate, reinforce and enhance interest in the environment and natural resources among high school students. The event also encourages cooperative decision-making and team-building.

A team consists of five students from the same high school and one adult advisor. The advisor must accompany the team but is not permitted to assist during the competition.

“This is a great opportunity for students to put concepts into practice in a true context,” said Kristen Lauer, education/information specialist for the Montgomery SWCD. “Concepts become very real when students get to use them outside while working on questions written by professionals in each area of testing.”

Eighty teams vied for the right to complete at the state level at the Ohio Envirothon to be held in Columbus later this month. The top team at the state event will compete at the National Envirothon in Maryland later this summer.

Winner of this year’s Area IV Envirothon was Centerville High School, which had three teams in the event and took the top two spots. Anna and Franklin high schools rounded out the top four. These four teams advance to the state event. Ten other schools were representing Montgomery County.

Students competed in the areas of Aquatics, Wildlife, Forestry, Soils and a Current Environmental Issue (CEI). This year’s CEI was Agricultural Soil and Water Conservation Stewardship.

The tests are physically and mentally challenging, ranging from conducting measurements on trees to answering questions on paper. Questions are designed by experts in each field, which include soil scientists from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and experts from the Ohio departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The Fernald Preserve features 140 acres of wetland habitat including three lakes, 400 acres of forests and 360 acres of grasslands, including tall grass prairies. It is home to 240 species featuring a golden eagle, several bobcats and many migratory birds.