June 1, 2006

Staff of the Department of Environmental Quality’s Kalamazoo District Office recently attended the regional Envirothon competition at the Fort Custer Training Center near Battle Creek to lend their knowledge of the environment to high school students competing in the event.

The Envirothon is an annual competition for students in the United States and Canada in which teams compete by demonstrating their knowledge in environmental science and natural resource management. The students solve problems related to environmental issues while being trained and tested in six ecologically important categories: Aquatic Ecology, Energy, Forestry, Soils/Geology, Wildlife Management, and Sustainable Agriculture. Students are also presented with a current environmental issue and learn how it relates to each area of ecology. This year’s theme was “Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate,” and in addition to the workshops, the teams also created and implemented a community outreach project that they presented before a panel of judges.

DEQ staff offered presentations on wetland ecosystems and nonpoint source pollution, and discussed with students how NPS pollution impacts water quality and how state programs and regulations are used to keep this type of pollution from entering our lakes and rivers.

Teams that were successful in the regional Envirothon went on to state level competition held in Grayling on May 10 - 11. This year’s state winner that will represent Michigan at the North American Envirothon competition held in July at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg is the Envirothon team from Caro High School in Tuscola County.

“The Caro High School team has demonstrated their growing knowledge of environmental issues and interests in protecting Michigan’s natural resources,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “I would like to congratulate the Caro students and wish them luck in the North American Envirothon competition.”

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised June 1, 2006 by Pat Watson