Connecticut Envirothon
www.ctenvirothon.org
The Connecticut Envirothon is a natural resource based education program started in 1992 by the state's Soil and Water Conservation Districts. This high school level program promotes environmental awareness, knowledge, and stewardship through education and team competition.
Throughout the year Envirothon teams work with a teacher/advisor on curriculum materials in the study areas of Soils, Aquatics, Wildlife, Forestry and Current Environmental Issues.
Then in May, teams meet for a day-long, fun filled field competition. Teams work together on practical, environmental problem solving and hands-on challenges. In addition, each team prepares a short oral presentation on a real life environmental problem and presents it to a panel of experts.
The winning Envirothon team earns the chance to represent our state at the Canon Envirothon, a weeklong summertime event. The Connecticut team competes for scholarships and other prizes against about 60 other teams from the USA and Canada.
Visit the Connecticut Envirothon website and “Take the Natural Challenge.”
Left to Right: David Moran, Pam Huntley, Rebekah Borgert, Brittany Godburn, Jeff Hammond, Ryan Long, Emily Studer
Congratulations to Housatonic Valley Regional High Schools 10th place finish at this years Canon Envirothon in Ashville, North Carolina. They competed against 50+ teams from across the US and Canada. Each student was awarded $1,000 in scholarship funds.
Northwest Conservation District Workshops
The Northwest Conservation District sponsors many natural resource training workshops for municipalities and the general public. Don't miss out on future workshops, join our email list! Past workshops that we sponsored included:
Workshops for Municipalities:
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Randall Arendt Conservation By Design
At this workshop, town commissioners, developers, engineers, and staff designed their own conservation friendly subdivision, and learned how to incorporate conservation in local plans and ordinances.
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Erosion and Sediment Control Workshop
Town commissioners and staff learned how to apply the new erosion and sediment guidelines to a real plan-of-development.
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What's Legally Required ?
Attorney Michael A. Zizka presented a short course in land use regulations according to his newly revised book "What's Legally Required".
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We regularly develop programs to meet the needs of our municipalities. Contact us to discuss your ideas. Other previous workshops for municipalities included
Designed to Protect: Designing stormwater management practices that really work to protect water resources
Wetlands Demystified- a workshop to help learn how to identify wetlands and understand their value and function.
Training for Real Estate Professionals
Reading the Land: Environmental Issues Critical to Sellers and Buyers.
A CEU Credit Workshop on land use, tools for reading the land, soils and wetlands, and understanding septic and well functions.
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Pond and Lake Invasive Aquatic Weed Workshop
The public learned the steps to identify noxious invasive aquatic weeds, how to prevent them from getting into local ponds, and understand how to eradicate weeds if they already exist. More information can be found by visiting New Hampshire's Exotic Species Program's website.
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Naugatuck Streamwalk
Volunteers learned the latest techniques to evaluate the health of the Naugatuck River. The training began with a classroom section to explain the process of a river survey. This was followed by an in-stream demonstration. Based on the data collected from the volunteers the Conservation District can identify and prioritize trouble spots for attention. Using the data collected, the District assisted the Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials in the planning stage of a Greenway for the Naugatuck River!
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Planning
The mission of the Northwest Conservation District is to promote the conservation and wise use of local natural resources through education and technical services. The NCD service area encompasses thirty-four municipalities covering approximately 1208 square miles.
Northwest Connecticut has seen a significant increase in the pace of development and the size and sophistication of the projects proposed creating concern among local citizens and elected officials. While it is true that current economic conditions have put many projects on hold, this pause is only temporary.
On the other hand, there is a growing grass roots movement to preserve the sense of place often described as rural character with working farms, scenic vistas, forested ridgelines and special places. Volunteers serving on local commissions, land trusts, watershed groups have devoted time and talent to efforts such as Natural Resource Inventories and have advocated for better planning.
Facing these conflicting pressures are the land use commissioners in each town and the often very part time land use staff. In many cases they rely on outdated regulations. Most towns have no planner and sometimes feel powerless in the face of techniques such as affordable housing. Pressures to increase municipal tax revenues have led to the approval of projects ill-suited to the landscape and at odds with community character. Community goals and vision as expressed in Plans of Conservation and Development are often not being translated into actual community growth patterns. In addition, the regional planning entities (COGS, CEO or RPA) are severely underfunded. State Planning Resources available to towns are almost non existent.
We believe the future will bring substantial changes to the NCD service area even with the current downturn in the housing market. These changes require new focus to our mission and efforts. We have identified a critical need for Conservation Planning and Implementation in our service area. Development will come and it will be impossible to purchase all the threatened open space or preserve all the farmland. The question is HOW WILL THE REGION GROW? What tools do the towns in the Northwest Corner need NOW in order to plan for growth, manage and control growth and insure the results will carry out their stated goals? NCD is working in partnership with the recently formed regional collaborative, regional planning groups and municipalities to assemble the best available procedures, techniques and regulations to guide land development. Using these tools, towns will have the ability to direct market forces toward structured conservation techniques resulting in far better growth patterns.
Among the several environmental groups working in the area, NCD possesses a unique combination of capabilities and services. Because of our long partnership working in the trenches with our towns filling the gaps in state or regional services, we are seen as the “Go To Group” for environmental solutions. Because NCD is a trusted independent voice, recognized and respected for environmental problem solving, we are well suited to educate and encourage better conservation planning and to serve as a catalyst for needed changes.
Northwest Conservation District Newsletter
The NCD publishes the "Voice of Local Conservation" every fall and spring. The newsletter contains useful information about local environmental news, events such as the Earth Day Plant Sale and trout stocking, and workshops being offered.
Spring 2010 Newsletter
Fall 2009 Newsletter
Spring 2009 Newsletter
Fall 2008 Newsletter
To receive our newsletter and/or make changes to your mailing address fill out the following form.
Mailing address form coming soon. If you prefer to recieve our newsletter via email, please join our mailing list on the Northwest Conservation District Home Page.
Backyard Conservation
Bringing conservation from the countryside to your backyard—Just as they do on the farm, conservation practices on non-agricultural land can help increase food and shelter for birds and other wildlife, control soil erosion, reduce sediment in waterways, conserve water and improve water quality, inspire a stewardship ethic, and beautify the landscape.
"Backyard Conservation" shows you how conservation practices that are used on agricultural land across the country to conserve and improve natural resources can be adapted for use on the land around your home. These practices help the environment and can make your yard more attractive and enjoyable.
The following tip sheets offer "how to" steps and helpful hints on backyard conservation practices. Web page (HTML) versions of the PDF files are available on the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) website