HOWARD — The East Knox FFA recently qualified to compete in the State Environmental and Natural Resources finals competition where only the Top 20 teams qualify.
To qualify there are two day online qualification tests where the top four members from the online tests then create a presentation on the given topic to present online to judges during their scheduled time with the judges.
This year’s topic the students had to educate a local hunters group in regards to the Chronic Wasting Disease and how it could affect our local white-tail deer population.
After completing both tests and the presentations then the top 20 teams qualify to compete in the state finals in person competition. This year’s event was held at The Headwaters Outdoor Education Center in Mount Gilead.
The Environmental/Natural Resources Career Development Event is an educational activity designed to assess a student’s knowledge of environmental management and to provide recognition for those who have demonstrated skills and competencies in the area of natural resources.
In the contest team members worked together at each station to complete the following practicums: water quality analysis; soil health practicum; GPS practicum; Environmental Analysis station; and the waste management scenario.
In the water quality analysis they conducted water quality testing by performing tests for nitrates, phosphates, and pH.
At the soil health practicum where they completed a soil pH test, evaluated the amount of cover crop on a field, determined the soil structure of the sample they were given, and also determined the texture of the soils in addition to answering general soil health questions.
At the GPS station where they will utilize a global positioning system (GPS) unit to identify the longitude and latitude of a given point, enter waypoints and determine the location, and find locations based on longitude and latitude coordinates.
At the environmental analysis station they had to identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, plants and invasive species, and equipment used in environmental and natural resources activities.
Then teams also complete the waste management scenario where they will be presented with a scenario that generate waste material thereby creating environmental threats, evaluate the nature of waste output to identify plausible options for reducing waste generation, recycling, or exploring alternative uses for the waste, treating it, or disposing of it; and participants should be able to identify at least one benefit and one deterrent for each of the possible options that are offered.
The Environmental/Natural Resources Career Development Event is an educational activity designed to assess a student’s knowledge of environmental management and to provide recognition for those who have demonstrated skills and competencies in the area of natural resources.