TWRA Receives Southeastern RC&D Supporting Organization Award

TWRA has provided assistance with a number of projects through Tennessee’s individual RC&D councils. However, the focus of the award is for the Agency’s enduring assistance with the Tennessee Envirothon which has been a state wide project since 1994 and began as an individual council project in 1993.

 

The Tennessee Envirothon is the qualifying event for a team of students to represent the state in the Canon North American Envirothon which is sponsored by the Canon Corporation. The event is the largest environmentally based competition for high school students in the United States and Canada.

 

The Envirothon competition covers five areas of subject matter; Soils, Wildlife, Forestry, Aquatics and a “Current Issue” which changes on an annual basis. Representatives from TWRA are directly involved with the planning and implementation of each event hosted by the 10 RC&D areas of Tennessee and two applicant areas as well as the state level competition, which is hosted by the Tennessee RC&D Council.

 

More than 60 high schools currently participate and at least 590 students are involved annually. Many of the teachers involved with the competition have incorporated much of the Envirothon educational materials with their educational curriculum, which reach out to an undetermined large number of students statewide.

 

The TWRA develops study guide material which is posted on the Tennessee RC&D Web site for schools to utilize and prepare for the individual council competitions. TWRA also provides test materials to be utilized for the individual council competitions as well as the state level. 

 

Beginning in the fall of each year an Envirothon Committee convenes to discuss goals and program changes for the upcoming spring competitions. A TWRA representative, currently Donald Hosse (Outdoor Education Program Director), participates in the planning process and development of study guide and test materials. He also provides assistance with the council and state events with test administration.

 

In addition to this technical support, TWRA has consistently provided financial support on an annual basis by purchasing event T-shirts which are presented to team members, coaches and event volunteers. Other TWRA representatives also provide assistance with team coaching and assistance with individual RC&D Council events.

 

With the ongoing commitment of TWRA and its direct assistance with the development and promotion of the Envirothon competition, the Tennessee RC&D Council has achieved an ever increasing capacity to expose socially and economically disadvantaged students to environmental issues. This has been particularly beneficial in rural areas across the state and has helped to introduce many students to possible educational and career paths that address environmental sciences. The Envirothon program has achieved an overall increase in participation statewide due in part to involvement by TWRA. A consistent increase in participation by female and minority students has resulted in significant diversity in recent years. 

 

The strong relationship which has been fostered through the TWRA and RC&D partnership in the Envirothon has also made a number of other localized projects possible within many of the states RC&D areas. Many of these other projects have been more recreational in nature and available to the general public and usually included some level of environmental educational awareness.

 

In addition to the Envirothon, TWRA has been an excellent source of information to the RC&D councils within Tennessee which has been helpful in developing a number of projects that involve impacts to wildlife and/or recreational activities. 

 

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