The Dominion Envirothon is a natural resources competition for high school students. Students who participate learn stewardship and management concepts, and work to solve real and hypothetical environmental problems. The program is field-oriented, community-based and gives students the opportunity to work with natural-resource professionals. The students have fun developing skills as a team, meeting students from other schools, and learning about career opportunities in the environmental field.
2025 Envirothon!
High School Level (Grades 9-12) – Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at Grand Caverns Park
Middle School Level (Grades 6-8) – Thursday, April 10, 2025 at Grand Caverns Park
2025 Current Environmental Issue: “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change” Click Here for Learning Objectives
Who Makes Up a Team and What Do They Do?
Students work in teams of five, plus up to two alternates. Throughout the school year, students prepare to compete at the local level, then qualify for the Area I competition. Top-scoring teams from each of the three different Districts in the Area will advance to the State Dominion Envirothon Competition.
At each level of competition, students are tested on their knowledge of natural resources in four categories: AQUATICS, FORESTRY, SOILS and WILDLIFE, plus a CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE that changes annually. Students visit four “in the field” test stations, where written- and hands- on problem solving is required. In addition, each team (High School level only) delivers an oral presentation based on their strategy for addressing the current environmental issue. While the events are competitive, they encourage development of useful real-world skills in research, collaboration and defense of findings. Education is the bottom line.
Participants in the Envirothon program gain a deeper knowledge of the effect individual actions have on environmental problems, the interactions and inter-dependence of our environment, current environmental issues, the agencies available to assist them in resource protection concerns and the need to become environmentally aware, action-oriented adults.
Previous participants in the Headwaters SWCD Envirothon program have attended and taught at environmental summer camps and received college scholarships.
Are You Interested in Envirothon?
If you would like to form or coach a team through your school, church, home school group, scout troop, etc. contact Rich Wood at Headwaters SWCD: (540) 248-0148 Ext: 8 or rwood@co.augusta.va.us
2025 Competitions/Training Dates
- 2025 Area I Training:
- Saturday, February 22, 2025 – Bridgewater College (9:00 am-12:30 pm) – Free (includes lunch)
- 2025 Local Envirothon:
- Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (High School level) and Thursday, April 10, 2025 (Middle School level) – both competitions will be Grand Caverns Park in Grottoes
- 2025 Area I Competition:
- Tuesday, April 29, 2025 – AREC-McCormick Farm-Raphine
- 2025 Dominion Energy Envirothon-VA State Competition:
- Sunday, May 18 & Monday, May 19, 2025 – Mary Washington University
- 2025 NCF Envirothon Competition:
- July 20-July 26, 2025-Mount Royal University-Calgary, Alberta, Canada
For study materials please visit the VASWCD Envirothon Resource Page.
Virginia State Envirothon 2017
In 2017, Fort Defiance High School won the Dominion Energy Virginia State Envirothon. The team was comprised of: Coaches Brent Hull and Eric Stogdale, and students Dillon Rusmisel, Michael Reefe, Jacob Lam, C.J. Johnson and Louisa Esteban. the team went on to represent Virginia and competed at the NCF National Envirothon in Emmitsburg, MD. Teams from across the U.S., Canada and China qualified to attend.