Education & Outreach
SMITHSONIAN'S DIG IT! SOILS EXHIBIT
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Soil Fun Facts
There is soil in your dishes, in the paints on your walls, and some of your favorite jewelry!
There are more organisms in a shovelful of dirt than there are people on the planet!
Many of the antibiotics we use to fight illnesses were derived from soil organisms!
Did you know it may take up to 500 years to produce one inch of topsoil!
There are more than 70,000 different kinds of soils in the United States!
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2008 ENVIROTHON WINNERS
TOME SCHOOL - TEAM 1
Second Place - Perryville High School Third Place - Rising Sun - Team II
The Cecil Soil Conservation District would like to thank all the sponsors and instructors on making this years event successful.
2008 ENVIROTHON
SOILS - Soils Training Guide A PDF of the Soils Training Guide(large file) and added October 2007 - backyard.pdf
FORESTRY - No Change from 2004
WILDLIFE - Updated January 2005 Page Added October 2007"The Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem"
AQUATICS - No change from 2007Recreational Impacts on Natural Resources - Click here
Click Here for the 2008 Cannon Envirothon Issue and Learning Objective
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
- June 17-19, 2008 - State Competition at Harford Glen Environmental Education Center in Harford County.
- July 28-August 3, 2008 - National Competition at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.
2007 ENVIROTHON
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2007 ENVIROTHON WINNERS
TOME SCHOOL - TEAM 2
Second Place - Tome School - Team 1 Third Place - Rising Sun - Team 1
The Cecil Soil Conservation District would like to thank all the sponsors and instructors on making this years event successful.
2007 Cannon Envirothon Results
- April 18, 2007 - Training at the Fair Hill Nature Center
- May 2, 2007 - Competition at the Fair Hill Nature Center
- June 19-21, 2007 - State Competition at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore - Princess Anne, MD
- July 29-August 4, 2007 - National Competition at the Hobart and William Smith Colleges - Geneva, New York
Below are links to help you train for the 2007 Envirothon. If you are unable to link to any of the following topics, please contact our office so we can provide you with the information.
CURRENT ISSUE - Alternative/Renewable Energy
Click on the above pictures for additional information (PDF Files)
2006 ENVIROTHON
CONGRATULATIONS!
2006 CECIL COUNTY ENVIROTHON WINNERS
TOME SCHOOL
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: RACHEL FISHER, GRACE BENNETT, JEN CRICK,
LAURA JEAN KEMP. JESSIE FLETCHER
ADVISOR JANET THOMSON
2006 Cannon Envirothon Results
CECIL COUNTY ENVIROTHON
Fair Hill Nature and Environmental Center within the Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area.Cecil Soil Conservation District sponsors and coordinates the Annual Cecil County Envirothon each year in conjunction with the Cecil County Board of Education, Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Forestry Division, Maryland Department of Environment, Maryland Cooperative Extension Service, and the Fair Hill Nature Center. Training sessions are held at the
Nine high school teams from five area high schools participated in the competition that was held in May 2006. They were tested in five areas of natural resources: soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatics and water stewardship in a changing climate. Our educational partners provide our students with the opportunity to work directly and learn from resource professionals.
HISTORY
Envirothon was started in 1979 by three Pennsylvania soil and water conservation districts. By 1988 the idea had caught on and the first national contest was held.
The 2005 Maryland event had 17 counties with 19 teams (2 alternates) held at Harford Glenn.
This past year about fifty teams attended the Canon National Envirothon.
What: Envirothon is a problem-solving natural resource competition for high school students. In Maryland the Envirothon sponsored by the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts (MASCD), which is an organization representing all of the soil conservation districts in the state.
How: Teams of high school age students are tested on their knowledge of a state's natural resources - soils, forestry, wildlife, water and a current environmental issue. Students visit five "in-the-field" test stations where written and hands-on problem solving is required along with formulating a strategy for increasing public awareness.
OBJECTIVES:
Participants will gain a deeper knowledge of the following:
The affect individual actions have on environmental problems.
The interactions and inter dependencies of our environment.
Current environmental issues.
The agencies available to assist them in resource protection matters.
The need to become environmentally aware, action-oriented adults.
COMPETITION
Local Conservation Districts, in conjunction with cooperating agencies and educators, organize and run local Envirothon competitions. The winning county team then has the opportunity to compete in the State Envirothon which is attended by 20+ teams from across the state. The state competition champions then travel and compete at the National Envirothon. The 2003 Canon National Envirothon was hosted by Maryland. In 2006 the Canon National Envirothon will be held in Manitoba, Canada.
What determines the final team standings?
Students are tested in each of the five resource areas and also on an oral presentation developed during the competition directly related to the current fifth issue. Teams are given a "problem" to solve that is related to the fifth issue. During the competition the team must find ways to solve the problem and then as a team, orally present the solution to a body of judges. The team with the best presentation skills and content (solutions) will be awarded the most points.
5TH GRADE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
The conservation education assistance to schools includes interactive learning in an outdoor classroom as part of special day long training and a variety of educational activities from in-class instruction and special presentations to over 2000 students annually from individual classes to multiple grade assemblies. The District co-developed and sponsors a dynamic Countywide 5th grade education program on soil conservation. This includes a full day of outdoor learning at the Fair Hill Nature Center and activities with soil composition, profiles, erosion control, land uses and conservation.
For more information:
Fair Hill Nature and Environmental Center
CECIL COUNTY FAIR
Every July at the
Cecil County Fair, the Cecil SCD displays activities of the district and ways that both Agricultural and residential landowners can protect soil and water quality. Next time you're at the fair, stop by and check us out!
BACKYARD CONSERVATION
You can be a part of the everyday habitat of your own backyard. Please click on the picture below to find out more information:
PASTURE WALKS
Pasture walks are good opportunities for farmers to get new ideas about grazing and pasture management techniques first-hand from other farmers. When you go on a pasture walk, you gain from the experience of others and enjoy some time talking with fellow farmers.
EVENTS:
For more information visit:
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Cecil Soil Conservation District |
PHONE: 410-398-4411 ext. 3 |
Updated 07/17/2008