Welcome to the official site for the New York State Envirothon. Use the side panel on the left to find information or study guides. If you have any questions reach out to the following people:
Dustin Lewis at dl@saratogaswcdny.gov
The 2026 NYS Envirothon will be held on May 27th and 28th at SUNY Cortland.
The New York State Envirothon is a problem-solving, natural resource education program for high school students. In the field, teams of students are challenged to hone critical thinking skills as they answer questions and conduct hands-on investigation of environmental issues in five categories—Soils/Land Use, Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Wildlife, and Current Environmental Issues. In addition to a written test the teams also prepare an oral presentation solving a specific natural resource issue. The Envirothon stimulates, reinforces, and enhances students’ interest in the environment and our state’s natural resources. The concept began in Pennsylvania in 1979 as an outgrowth of a vocational agricultural land judging contest. Conservation districts felt there was a need for a statewide environmental program highlighting different disciplines within the natural resource field. By the mid-eighties, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Maine had their own state Envirothon programs and interest was spreading to other states. In 1988, the first National Envirothon was held in Pennsylvania with five states participating. In 1990, New York State held its first state Envirothon. Three teams participated in the pilot event. Since then, the participation has grown significantly.
New York State Envirothon 