The Envirothon is a program for 9th-12th grade students to learn more about our natural environment. The contest tests the students knowledge on subjects such as soils, aquatics, forestry, wildlife, range, current environmental issues and one area of national interest.

The Envirothon began in Pennsylvania in the spring of 1979. High school teachers and youth leaders recognized the value of the Envirothon as a means of strengthening the environmental awareness of young people, and the program spread to many other states and countries. Nebraska held its first Envirothon in 1992.

The Envirothon experience is a unique approach to environmental education. Five-member teams compete in a setting where they learn that cooperation is needed to achieve success. Participation in this unique event can be great fun for both students and their advisors. The activities are designed to help the students become environmentally aware, action-oriented adults.

Each year several regional Envirothon contests are held across Nebraska. The winning five-member team from each regional competition is invited to represent their region at the Nebraska State Envirothon Competition. An additional 8 wildcard teams are also invited. The state champion goes on to represent Nebraska at the Canon Envirothon.

The Nebraska Envirothon is guided by a steering committee made up of representatives from agencies involved in natural resources, including:

The Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) administers the Envirothon in Nebraska. Jeanne Dryburgh and Alyssa Smola  of NARD are the coordinators for the program. For more information, contact Jeanne or Alyssa:

Jeanne Dryburgh Alyssa Smola
jdryburgh@nrdnet.org asmola@nrdnet.org
(402) 471-7670 (402) 471-7672