The Charles Soil Conservation District is committed to promoting education by helping students understand the benefits of proper management and conservation of our nation’s natural resources.
 

In 1993, the Charles SCD organized the Charles County Envirothon program. Since its inception, this problem-solving, natural resources educational program for high school students has grown to include participation by all six public high schools in Charles County.

Students work in teams of five to develop problem-solving and communication skills while learning about four natural resource areas and an environmental issue. The four subject areas include: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils and Wildlife. The fifth topic changes yearly and centers on a current environmental topic which has included: the Clean Air Act, greenways, wildfire management, water stewardship in a changing environment, recreational impacts on natural resources and biodiversity in a changing world.

Charles County Envirothon Training Schedule 2009-10

For more Envirothon information: www.MASCD.net/envirothon

The Charles SCD recently held its annual Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts (MASCD) Coloring Contest. Elementary schools throughout Charles County were invited to participate in the local contest. 

The District provides County elementary schools with contest entry information.  There are three entry classes for the coloring contest: Class A: Grades K and 1; Class B: Grades 2 and 3; Class C: Grades 4 and 5. Each school holds their own contest and forwards their winning entries from each class to the Charles SCD where the entries are judged and County winners are chosen for each of the three classes.   

The Charles County coloring contest 1st place winners for each class receive a $30.00 gift certificates to Borders. The 1^st place winners in each category are submitted to be judged at the state contest in July of each year at the MASCD Annual Conference. John Roberts, 1st grader from ANS won first place in the Class A state contest and won $25.00.

Thank you to all of our participants and congratulations to our winners!
             

The Charles SCD recently held its annual Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts (MASCD) Poster Contest. Middle and high schools students throughout Charles County were invited to participate in the local contest. 

The District provides County middle and high school students with contest entry information through schools, community groups and outreach events.  There are three entry classes for the poster contest: Grade 6, Grades 7-9 and Grades 10-12. Posters are submitted to the Charles SCD where the entries are judged and County winners are chosen for each of the three classes.   

The Charles County poster contest 1st place winners for each class receive a $20.00 gift certificates to Borders and submission in the sate contest in July of each year a the MASCD Annual Conference. 

Thank you to all of the participants of the 2009 contest. Charles County winners were Kaleb Bennett for Grade 6 and Julia Sanabria for Grades 7-9.  These two students not only won first place in the county, but also went on to win first place at the State level as well. Their posters will represent Maryland at the National Association of Conservation Districts' Annual Meeting, January 31- February 3rd in Orlando, Florida. Good Luck!
             

1^st Place (Grade 6) – Kaleb Bennett  from- Theodore Davis Middle School

1^st Place (Grades 7-9) – Julia Sanabria from- Theodore Davis Middle School

Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center http://www.ccboe.com/nanjemoycreek/default.htm

Maryland Cooperative Extension- http://extension.umd.edu

Conservancy for Charles County http://www.conservecharles.org

Southern Maryland Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America http://www.iwlasomd.org

Southern Maryland Audubon Society http://www.geocities.com/smdaudubon

The Chapman Forest Foundation http://www.chapmanforest.org

Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust (PTLT) http://www.patuxent-tidewater.org

Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education http://www.maeoe.org

Dept. of Natural Resources- Wildlife Education http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/education.asp