Conservation Education for Youth
Education about the environment is a key to the survival of each person and the planet we live on. How we see and explain the use of our resources determine the future.
There's a lot more to education than reading, writing, and arithmetic. Environmental education is a topic too seldom presented to most young people today. The Davidson Co. Conservation provides Hands on presentations to interact with the students. Class demonstrations include: Using the EnviroScape, Aquarium with live Aquatic life, animal pelts, tracks and skulls, Rocks & Fossils, Tree, Seeds & leaves. The Enviroscape demonstrates what happens in a watershed and the effects of the health of all our resource and the economy. It also demonstrates pollution, erosion and how we can be part of the solution. The pelts, tracks and skulls of animals are used to identify habits, predator/prey, ecology, food and their role in the ecosystem. Rocks & Fossils allow students to study and understand the history of the earth. What has a tree done for you? Trees provide erosion control; food and habitat for birds and animals; and provide wood for building material. “Soil to Spoon” classes provide information about where our food & fiber comes and the types of soil. Great hands on learning experience to educate students about our Natural resources on a wide range of environmental topics and the importance of Agriculture. Education about the environment is a key to the survival of each person and the planet we live on. How we see and explain the use of our resources determine the future.
Youth educational publications with simple activities and worksheets are available. They help children learn and develop a sense of appreciation for the environment. Classroom instructions are available upon request. Contact Carol Edwards for additional information.
Local Conservation District partners with Army Corps of Engineers for Environmental Days
The Soil Conservation District takes part in the Army Corps of Engineers' Environmental Awareness Day event. Over 400 hundred students gather at the lake to learn about the environment. The Soil Conservation District presented the Enviroscape Program Demonstrating pollution and erosion — and its prevention. Enviroscape makes the connection between what we do on earth and the environmental quality of the land and water and why pollution in our watershed affects the health of all our resources and the economy. How agencies, farmers & landowners working together can make a difference. And what happens in a watershed affects other watersheds, as they demonstrated the movement of water & Non-Point & Point-Source pollution through run-off. It helps children see how they can make a difference. The District's other classes presented offered interactive educational activities to teach the students about Agriculture, Natural resources, our fresh-water streams and how to protect them. The students rotate through 5 other stations: Cumberland River Compact, Army Corps of Engineers. US Fish & Wildlife, TN State Parks & US Coast Guard.
Tennessee Envirothon
The Envirothon idea is simple -- combine the proven concepts of hands-on education with the excitement of a good competition and the fun of spending a day in the outdoors. The result is an effective educational tool which will help our state's schools to nurture environmentally aware students and meet the immediate need to teach more environmental education.
Essentially, the Envirothon is a series of hands-on contests in which teams of high school students complete to solve environmental problems. The event works much like an athletic competition, and the winners of that event get the chance to compete in the National Canon Envirothon.
The Envirothon encourages a constantly changing curriculum and helps to build strong ties between schools and the organizations that can help them teach a practical, interdisciplinary brand of environmental awareness.
By incorporating the Envirothon curriculum into classrooms, Conservation Districts across the nation are taking a notable lead in responding to the public school system's need for a strong, hands-on approach to environmental education. Partnering schools with your local Soil & Water Conservation District, and other environmentally concerned organizations, is a smart match.
2021 Results
The 2021 Regional Envirothon competition was held virtual. Two teams each from Montgomery Bell Academy represented Davidson County in this year's competitions. Winning first place and representing the Five Rivers RC&D Region at the state competition was Team 1 from MBA, Team 2 from MBA placed 2nd and 3rd. at State virtual competition in May. The teams were tested on their skills and knowledge of our natural resources. The competition was divided into five categories: wildlife, forestry, soils, aquatics, and special category current environmental issue. This year's issue: (Water Resource Management-Local Control-Local Solutions) MBA team 2 had the highest score for their presentation on the current issue.
Conservation Education for Adults
Conservation information publications are available to help inform the public of resource considerations and practices.