Cool Kids Compete at Cool Springs: North Carolina Envirothon Challenges Young Students to Show Off Their Environmental Know-How

Nearly 500 visitors came to Cool Springs for this year's Envirothon.

Earlier this spring, 380 middle and high school students convened at our Cool Springs Environmental Education Center just outside New Bern, North Carolina, for the 25th annual North Carolina Coastal Envirothon, a competition testing their knowledge in natural resources and ecology.

"This was the most students we've ever hosted for Envirothon, and they were accompanied by 100 adults," says Blair Owen, a planning and roads forester at our Timberlands office in Vanceboro, who volunteered for the fifth time this year. "I'd say it was a huge success!"

Sponsored by the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Districts, students from 15 coastal counties compete in the regional Envirothon competition. The winners moved on to a statewide event, and the state champions will represent North Carolina at the international Envirothon competition in New York later this summer.

"The Envirothon allows students to take their knowledge from the classroom into a wonderful outdoor environment that enables real-life problem solving," says Celeste Maus, chair of the Coastal Envirothon Committee and administrative conservationist for the Chowan County Soil and Water Conservation District.

"I first visited Cool Springs because I was looking for a peaceful place to run," Blair says. "I fell in love with it, which spurred me to volunteer. It's clear that many people treasure Cool Springs as much as I do. For some kids who come here from urban areas, it's the closest they've ever gotten to spending time in the wilderness."

A UNIQUE SETTING FOR A UNIQUE EVENT

Our Cool Springs Environmental Education Center is the perfect place to hold an Envirothon. Located along the Neuse River, the 1,675-acre property functions as an outdoor classroom nestled among a working forest. The tracts that make up Cool Springs were acquired by Weyerhaeuser from 1984 to 1995, and the education center was completed in 1996. A lush green space in an otherwise developed area, Cool Springs offers walking and hiking trails, pavilions and picnic tables, and an amphitheater. Signs along the trails identify trees and plants, and all but 20 acres of Cool Springs are under conservation easements.

Blair is one of several Weyerhaeuser employees who volunteer to run the Cool Springs Environmental Education Center, coordinating contract educators and a guide for visiting school groups. She's also on the Coastal Envirothon planning committee, which consists of people from various organizations and companies in the area. Weyerhaeuser has held a presence on the committee since its inception in 1998.

"Supporting the Envirothon is a unique opportunity to collaborate with partners all over the state on a common goal: getting kids excited about being outdoors," says Seth Plank, a planning and roads forester who recently moved to the Portfolio Analytics team as an analyst. Seth volunteered for the third time this year alongside several other employees from the Vanceboro Timberlands office.

"The Envirothon is held in March, so it's fairly cold, but the students have a great time," Blair says. "It's exciting that we had such a big turnout this year! These kids really care about these subjects, and I think we're witnessing future experts in action."

READY, SET, GO

Blair and Seth say preparing for the Envirothon is a great excuse to spiff up the education center and the grounds. This year, Blair coordinated a Weyerhaeuser employee workday to perform maintenance on the grounds the week before the event.

Volunteers from Timberlands in the region came together to paint the trim on the buildings, pressure wash surfaces and apply fresh stain to the wooden benches and picnic tables.

"Events like this are such a great way for us to spread our passion for sustainable forestry with the next generation," Seth says. "We want to make a good impression."

"A few years ago, the Envirothon went international when China, Singapore and Mexico joined as competitors," Celeste says. "It's amazing to see how this event has grown, and our students are more excited than ever to participate. The high school winners of the state competition are rewarded with scholarships, and many of them end up going into careers in natural resources and environmental science."

Before the competition began, Blair and other volunteers set up tents, tables and registration stations, packed swag bags for the students, laid out commemorative t-shirts and started preparing hot dogs for lunch. Then students streamed out of buses and gathered at tables for a final study session.

Divided into teams of five from each school, the students were ready to demonstrate their knowledge in five subjects: soils/land use, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology and current environmental issues.

"Whether or not they win, students who compete in the Envirothon remember the competition fondly, and their exposure to these subjects could encourage them to support local environmental initiatives throughout their lives," Celeste says.

LAUNCHING FUTURE CAREERS

Subject matter experts volunteered to lead each test, including employees from the North Carolina Forest Service, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, and North Carolina Marine Fisheries. Afterward, a brief award ceremony was held to announce the winners and recognize the financial contributors and important guests.

"It's so cool to see the students get excited about things like forestry and just being outside," Blair says. "They're excited to compete, and this event exposes them to a variety of potential careers in forestry and natural resources. It also puts Weyerhaeuser in their field of vision."

It's not often that middle and high school students get to interact directly with professionals in so many different fields, and the natural setting makes the event all the more special.

"Without Weyerhaeuser, the North Carolina Coastal Envirothon would simply not be possible," Celeste says. "We are so grateful, not just for this beautiful setting, but also for the active participation and support we've received for more than 20 years. It's been a joy to work together, and I hope to do so for many more years into the future."

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