MUSCATINE, Iowa — From the relatively young Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve to the 101-year-old Fairport Fish Hatchery on Iowa Highway 22, Muscatine High School students learned more about preserving the local environment at the FFA Envirothon April 19 and 20.

The state Envirothon competition is a program of Iowa’s Natural Resource and Conservation District along with agricultural and environmental associations and agencies throughout Iowa.

MHS seniors MacKenzie Fuller, Hannah Howard and Lena Jones and juniors Brenden McCleary and Chance Millett attended the district conference in Springbrook State Park in Des Moines, where they studied environmental issues and were tested on their knowledge.

Throughout Iowa, 60 teams competed at three district centers, said Millett.

“We learned so much,” said Jones. “This really helps you become more aware of the environment.”

At the state competition, the students’ knowledge was tested at four lab stations.

“This is a very different competition,” said Millett. “It’s one of the toughest.”

Millett said the event covers aquatics, soils, forestry and wildlife and his team placed fifth among the 15 that participated at the District event.

According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Envirothon,  North America’s largest high school environmental competition, was started by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts in 1979.

The Iowa part of the competition is held each spring at a natural area or a state park, where students study with environmental professionals. 

The event is designed to increase students’ awareness of their environment and environmental career opportunities.”

Student teams work together to answer natural resource questions and  develop creative, scientific solutions to environmental problems.

Howard said the students studied areas specifically connected to Muscatine County. including the Fairport Fish Hatchery  and Big Sand Mound.

The Fish Hatchery study included the documented impact of the invasive zebra mussel on the native  Higgin’s eye clam.

Jones, who would like to teach science,  said the Higgin’s eye clams are important to the local river because they filter the water of impurities.

“Our project was to discuss and bring awareness of this issue,” said Howard.

The MHS group also learned more about the Big Sand Mound Preserve.

The preserve began when MidAmerican Energy set aside 420 acres during the development of the Louisa Generating Station in Muscatine. Later, Monsanto added 90 acres and the two companies maintain it.

More than 600 different plants and a wide variety of unusual animals live on the site, including the yellow mud turtle, a previously endangered species.

Howard, who plans to study forestry and animal ecology at Iowa State University, said the competition was tough, but she appreciates the role of the event in preparing students for environment related careers.

Details

Online

Learn more about the annual Envirothon at the Website http: www.cdiowa.org/envirothon.html

The Envirothon

The Iowa Envirothon is a program of the Conservation Districts of Iowa in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Division of Soil Conservation and Natural Resources, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Iowa Chapter Soil and Water Conser-vation Society, Pheasants Forever, Iowa Association of Corn Growers, FFA, the Soybean and Pork Producers.