Federal, state and local conservation partners joined the ‘conservation cause’ for the 8^th Annual Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 19^th at Killens Pond State Park.  Approximately 3,200 people attended the event in Felton, DE.  The Delaware Envirothon committee hosted an activity tent where festival attendees were able to learn more about aquatic ecology, forestry, soils/land use, wildlife, and the current Envirothon topic-- recreational impacts on natural resources.  Festival participants also had a chance to spin the wheel and answer related environmental questions for a prize.

The Aquatic Ecology table contained samples of horseshoe crabs in various stages of development from eggs to adults and a conch trap.  The wildlife table contained a stuffed fox and beaver, a turtle shell and antlers.  Participants who visited the soils table had the opportunity to make a soil profile of Greenwich Soil, Delaware’s State Soil.  There was also a display of pictures to show festival participants the training activities that Envirothon participants go through to prepare for the competition. 

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service staffers conduct a training session for all participants in early fall prior to the Envirothon competition.  They develop the soils questions for the competition and then train the Delaware Envirothon champions on the soils found in the host state of the national competition.