Envirothon

 2008 entry closing date is 5 September 2008 

Each government high school may enter one team of four Year 11 students in this statewide competition. Schools compete in regional events in order to win a place in the state finals held in Newcastle.

Regional envirothons will take place during late October 2008. The winners of these events will be invited to take part in the final held in Newcastle on 10, 11, 12 December 2008.

In Envirothon competitions teams:

• Visit a national park or public reserve
• Use fieldwork skills they have learned in Science, Geography and Environmental Education
• Describe a local ecosystem and threats to its sustainability and biodiversity, and
• Develop management strategies to solve the problems of that environment.

Specific skills to be tested will include:

• Direct observation
• Mapping, graphic and written description
• Physical and chemical tests and measurements
• Quadrats and transects including sampling techniques
• Interpretation and analysis of data
• Oral, dramatic and graphic presentation skills and techniques.

Everybody who competes will receive participation certificates.

Winners of the twelve Regional Envirothons will receive a free three day stay in Newcastle courtesy of the Department of Education and Training and Department of Environment & Climate Change, Parks and Wildlife Division .

The best performing teams will win awards for their schools courtesy of Department of Environment and Conservation NSW, Parks and Wildlife Division.

Each team member will receive a prize for making it to the final.

Each member of the winning team will receive a Ricoh 5 megapixel Digital Camera.

The Envirothon project is managed by the DET Environmental Education Centres and is sponsored by NSW Department of Education and Training and Department of Environment and Conservation NSW, Parks and Wildlife Division with first prize sponsored by Ricoh.

Envirothon 2008 is proudly sponsored by Ricoh.