The Ocean County Soil Conservation District is a proud sponsor of the New Jersey Envirothon.
Information about the 2027 NJ Envirothon will be announced in the coming months, so please stay tuned! For more information, contact us.
The 2026 New Jersey Envirothon took place on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education, Waretown, NJ. The Envirothon is a hands-on natural resources problem-solving competition for high school students. In early May, teams of five students representing high schools from around the state convene for a day-long event, with honors, prizes, and scholarships at stake. In preparing for the competition, students pursue in-depth knowledge about New Jersey’s natural resources and gain skills needed to navigate the complex environmental issues of today and tomorrow. Guided by a local teacher or parent, the participants use online study guides and attend in-person training workshops provided by natural resource professionals from the various sponsoring organizations.
The 2026 Current Issue Topic was Non-Point Source Pollution Mitigation – It Begins at Home!
OCSCD collaborated with our 13 sister Soil Conservation Districts and NJACD to help facilitate the 2026 New Jersey Envirothon. Students tested their knowledge on environmental topics including Soils, Forestry, Wildlife, Aquatic Ecology and Current Environmental Issues. The competition incorporates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) principles, experiential learning and hands-on outdoor field experiences.
OCSCD and Freehold SCD worked together to manage the Wildlife Station, which includes a “hands-on”, as well as a “written” test component.
This annual competition culminated in one intense day where students used critical thinking skills to create inventive solutions to complex environmental problems, and tested their practical knowledge of environmental topics through interactive problem solving. The team that best demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of natural resources, as well as teamwork and communication skills, moves on to represent New Jersey in the North American Envirothon competition which is the largest high school environmental education competition in North America. Congratulations to MATES for taking First Place this year!
This multi-day international event further tests the team’s understanding of the environment and involves teams from all regions of the United States and Canada. The North American Envirothon is managed and directed by National Conservation Foundation and its NCF-Envirothon Operating Committee.
Participating students also have the opportunity to attend comprehensive training prior to the event. The training day is designed to give students an idea of the types of questions and activities that they will be asked to complete on the day of the competition.
Please visit the Official NJ Envirothon Website for more information, or to register for the next NJ Envirothon.
Students participating in the Forestry Station at the 2007 Envirothon.
Congratulations to our hometown high school, MATES (Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science) who won First Place in the 2026 NJ Envirothon competition! Read more about the 2026 NJ Envirothon.
