WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) announced that Nebraska will be the host of the 2021 NCF-Envirothon slated for July 25-31, 2021. Nebraska was set to host the 2020 NCF-Envirothon competition, but due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the 2020 competition was canceled to protect the health and safety of the general public and participants, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The 2021 event will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus and feature the same resource topic and learning objectives that were planned for the 2020 competition, with the current topic of ”Water Resources Management: Local Control and Local Solutions.”

“It was a natural choice to allow Nebraska the opportunity to host the 2021 competition,” said NCF Chairman Steve Robinson. “We recognize and value the hundreds of hours of planning the Nebraska host team and their volunteers have dedicated to the 2020 event, and it felt only right to honor that by giving them the opportunity to put their plan in action in 2021 instead.”

"Although the pandemic delayed our hosting, it hasn't curbed our excitement," said NARD President Jim Eschliman. "We look forward to welcoming attendees to Nebraska in 2021 and sharing more about the unique ways we manage natural resources in the Cornhusker State."

The top priority for the organizers remains the health and safety of students, advisors, volunteers, sponsors and education partners. NCF and the NARD will be working closely with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln over the next year to ensure that any recommended guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are met when the group gathers together in July 2021.

“As always, we thank the participants and volunteers for their ongoing dedication to the program, and we wish them and their families good health through these difficult times,” Robinson said.

To learn more about the NCF-Envirothon or the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts, visit: www.envirothon.org or www.nrdnet.org.

The mission of the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) is to identify and advance strategic programs and partnerships to deliver conservation solutions through locally-led conservation and to develop the next generation of conservation leaders. Learn more at www.nacdnet.org/national-conservation-foundation.

The NCF-Envirothon is a hands-on environmental problem-solving competition that builds leadership skills for high school students, grades 9-12 (ages 14-19), in the United States, Canada and China. The program educates future stewards, promotes E-STEM (environment, science, technology, engineering and math) education, creates community awareness and fosters appreciation and respect for the natural world. NCF-Envirothon is a program of the National Conservation Foundation (NCF), a 501(c)3 organization, and supported by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). As sister organizations, the NCF and NACD share a common mission of locally-led conservation with the NCF focused on developing the next generation of conservation leaders. Learn more at www.envirothon.org.