Massachusetts Envirothon
The Middlesex Conservation District is a sponsor and organizer of the Massachusetts Envirothon, a natural resource program for high school students. Teams comprised of five students represent their respective school or organization in a statewide environmental competition testing their knowledge of the ecology and the natural environment including: water, soils, wildlife, habitat management, agriculture, and a current environmental issue. The topic areas are combined at test site eco-stations, where students have the opportunity to look at the environment as a whole. For more information please visit the Massachusetts envirothon website
The Envirothon’s purpose is to:
- Cultivate a desire to learn more about our natural environment through competitive events
- Develop a greater appreciation of our dependence on the natural environment
- Provide students with experiences in environmental-oriented activities and problem solving
- Provide a sense of personal stewardship of natural resources.
A scholarship to the University of Massachusetts College of Natural Resources and the Environment is awarded each year to one senior applicant who has participated in the Envirothon program.
To learn more about the Massachusetts Envirothon, contact:
Brita Dempsey, Envirothon Coordinator
Links
Government Agencies
- National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
- NRCS Massachusetts
- USDA Agricultural Research Service
- USDA Farm Service Agency
- USDA Rural Development
- USDA Forest Service
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
State Agencies
- Massachusetts Association of Conservation District (MACD)
- Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)
- Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife (MassWildlife)
- Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
- Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs (EEA)
- Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC)
- UMass Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment
Non-profit Organizations
- The Trustees of Reservations
- The Nature Conservancy – Massachusetts
- Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT)
- Native Plant Trust
- Mass Audubon
- The Food Project
- Boston Area Gleaners
- Mill City Grows
- Massachusetts River Alliance
- Concord Land Conservation Trust
- Grow Native Massachusetts
- Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts
- OARS 3 Rivers
University Extensions
- University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment – MA
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension – ME
- University of New Hampshire Extension – NH
- University of Vermont Extension – VT
- University of Connecticut Extension – CT
- University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension – RI
- Cornell Cooperative Extension – NY
- Rutgers University Cooperative Extension – NJ
- Penn State Extension – PA
Educational Resources
- Wild Pollinators of Eastern Apple Orchards & How to Conserve Them
- UMass Amherst – A Review of Bees
- Dr. Gegears Native Plant List for Native Bees at Risk
- USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) – List of Invasive Pests
- Invasive Plants of Massachusetts
- Invasive and Exotic Species of North America (flora & fauna)
- Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project (flora & fauna)
- Can report pests here
- Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List
- Element Stewardship Abstracts (ESA) of invasive plants
- Native Trees and Shrubs for Pollinators
- Native Perennials for Pollinators
- How to Pocket Forest?
- Work with Your HOA: Simple Steps to Build Support for Native Plants & Biodiversity – Homegrown National Park
- A Guide to NativeScaped Yards and HOA Sanction
For Schools
- Bringing the Soil Survey into Your Classroom
- What on Earth is Soil – Coloring Book for Grades K through 4
Other Useful Sites
Winter Sowing
- University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener PowerPoint – “All The Dirt on Winter Sowing”
- Winter Seed Sowing – College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Science Illinois Extension
- Autumn and Winter Seed Sowing in Six Easy Steps – Wild Seed Project
- How to Winter Sow Seeds – A Complete Tutorial Guide – Growit Buildit
- Winter Sowing: A Budget-Friendly Way to Start Your Native Garden – Homegrown National Park
Farmer Resources
Financial Assistance
- NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- New England Farmer Microgrants Program
- Agricultural Environmental Enhancement Program (AEEP)
- The Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture
- Young Farmer Grant Program
- SARE Northeast Farmer Grant
- The Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture
NRCS Resources
- Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA)
- Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Soils
- Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory (Soil Testing)
- Web Soil Survey
- Soil Data Access
- National Cooperative Soil Survey
- MA Healthy Soils
- Introduction to Healthy Wetland Soils (PDF)
Soil and Water Conservation
- NRCS Conservation Programs
- Massachusetts Water Impact Reporting – Droughts
- Map of MassDEP 2018/2020 Integrated List of Waters (surface water quality and impairment map)
- Metadata for Map of MassDEP 2018/2020 Integrated List of Waters
- Soil and Water Conservation Society
- American Farmland Trust
- Soil Science Society of America
- OARS 3 Rivers
Pollinators
- Native Plant Finder to Help Wildlife
- Pollinator Conservation Program
- Pollinator Conservation Resources: Northeast Region
- Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
- Bat Conservation International
- North American Butterfly Association
- The International Hummingbird Society
- Pollinator Pathways
- Ruby Throated Hummingbird – Mass Audubon
- Growing Wild for Pollinators
- Selecting Plants for Pollinators Eastern Broadleaf Forest Oceanic Province (Ecoregion 59) – Pollinator Partnership & NAPPC
- Rewilding for Pollinators – Amy Meltzer (Video)
- Native Plant-Insect Interactions Guide – Prairie Moon Nursery
Wildlife
- MA Division of Fish and Wildlife
- MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP)
- Bat Conservation International
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- North American Butterfly Association
Plants
- USDA Plants Database
- Dr. Rob Gegear’s Native Plant List for At-Risk Pollinators
- Native Plant Trust
- GoBotany – Dichotomous Key for Finding Plants
- PUBLIC Comprehensive native plant list – mostly of the Northeast – MA Pollinator Network
- Grow Native Massachusetts
- Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center
- The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
- North American Native Plant Society
- North American Keystone Plants – Homegrown National Park
- Native Plant Finder by Zip Code – National Wildlife Federation
- Choosing Plants – Michigan State University
- Native Plant Guide: Sustainable Gardening for a Naturally Beautiful Pepperell – Town of Pepperell and the Invasive & Native Plant Advisory Committee
- Maine Audubon Society Native Plant Finder
- Get Started Planting Native – Homegrown National Park
- Create a Native Garden
- Garden Kits – Mystic Meadows Garden
Leaves and Stems for Pollinators and Soil
- Legacy effects of long-term autumn leaf litter removal slow decomposition rates and reduce soil carbon in suburban yards
- Leave the Leaves! – Wild Seed Project
- Leaving your Leaves – Grow Native Massachusetts
- Garden to Support Pollinators – Massachusetts Pollinator Network (MAPN)
- Leave the Leaves: Why Less Cleanup Means More Life – Homegrown National Park
- Leaf Litter: Love It and Leave It – Homegrown National Park
- Rethink Your Yard: Create a Habitat for Pollinators – Pollinator Pathway
- Save the Stems – Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
- Save Your Stems! – Pollinator Pathway
- Save the Stems: Pollinator Protection in Winter – Speaking of Landscapes
- Why Leaving the Leaves is Better for Your Yard – New York Times
For more information on soil and water education material visit the following web sites.