Updated (6/10/10)
Some of these links will redirect you off the MA Envirothon website. We are not responsible for outside content.

DCR seasonal postings 2

To view the job descriptions, visit the Human Resources Division (HRD) at mass.gov and search for the position title.
Laborer I (Seasonal Laborer) – Pittsfield
Ranger I (Seasonal Ranger) – Concord

Hitchcock center course

Instructor: Ted Watt, Naturalist/Environmental Educator
Dates: Saturdays: Sept. 18, Oct. 2, Nov. 13, Dec. 4, Jan. 22, Feb. 26, Mar. 26, Apr. 9, June 11, 9:30 am-12:30 pm Saturday: May 14, 5am-5 pm (coastal trip to Plum Island). Wednesdays: Sept. 29, Oct. 13, May 25, June 8, 3:30-5:00 pm, (Rain Dates: Oct. 30, Mar. 5 and June 4)(37.5 hours instructional time, times listed above include some travel times)

Cost: $450 for 35 PDPs only $900 for 35 PDPs and 3 graduate credits through UMASS Division of Continuing Education (awarded upon completion of course in May 2011)

Course Description: Have you wanted to take your students outdoors but felt uncertain about your own knowledge of what’s out there? Have you been seeking to deepen your knowledge of plants and animals and the land? Most elementary and middle school students are very excited to be in nature. Being outdoors can be a tremendous motivator for learning in science as well as other disciplines. In this year-round, content-based course, we will study the natural history of western Massachusetts.

Time will be spent building a strong foundation of natural history identification skills and knowledge of habitats and local ecology. The course will be held largely outdoors observing and identifying plants and animals and keeping a record of your observations. Some of our field time will be spent on the school grounds of participating teachers. Participants should be prepared to spend time outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, including light rain and the cold of January. Each participant will create an independent project where they explore more deeply one aspect of local nature of their choosing.

This course is designed to be fun, engaging, and content rich. Three graduate credits through UMASS Division of Continuing Education will be offered in addition to 35 professional development points. There will be a total of 37.5 hours of instructional time over the school year.

Ted Watt is a highly skilled naturalist and environmental educator with over 30 years of field and classroom experience. He has worked extensively with schools and school districts throughout the region to strengthen science education using the outdoors. His area of specialization is in birds and plants of New England. Ted has a a degree in biology and has continued his professional development, both informally and formally, through the New England Wild Flower Society, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Humboldt Field Research Institute at Eagle Hill, and the Great Smoky Mountains Wildflower Pilgrimage. Ted has worked at the Hitchcock Center since 1984 and, prior to that, at two other wildlife sanctuaries of the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Over the years, he has mentored hundreds of people in their lifelong pursuit to become a well-rounded naturalist.

SPACE IS LIMITED FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL TED AT ted@hitchcockcenter.org
OR TO REGISTER, CALL SUSAN HEITKER AT THE HITCHCOCK CENTER AT
(413) 256-6006 BY AUGUST 6, 2010 www.hitchcockcenter.org

26 May Envirothon stories

1. many schools have contributed a 2010 Envirothon "story" - these are now available on the web, with more coming soon. If your team has not yet submitted a story, please consider doing so. In addition to sharing neat experiences with other teams, these stories help MA Envirothon to secure essential funding to keep us going. See attached flier for guidelines, but they can really be anything that your team wants to put together. Thanks!

2. Lynn Hillenbrand from DCR will be sending me seasonal job postings from her agency. I will put the links on the eenotes page but will not clutter your inbox with updates. Please check there weekly for new positions. To view the job descriptions, visit the Human Resources Division (HRD) at mass.gov and search for the position title.

Maintenance Equipment Operator II (ALB Program Maintenance Equipment Operator) – Worcester
Laborer I (Seasonal Laborer) – Sandisfield
Recreation Facilities Supervisor I (Seasonal Recreation Facilities Supervisor) – Sandisfield
Laborer II (Seasonal Laborer) – Oakham
Recreation Facilities Supervisor I (Seasonal Recreation Facilities Supervisor) – Melrose
Recreation Facilities Supervisor III (Seasonal Recreation Facilities Supervisor) – Melrose
*Park Interpreter (Seasonal Park Interpreter) - Lanesborough – Otis
Forest & Park Supervisor I (Seasonal Forest & Park Supervisor) – Milton
Recreation Facilities Supervisor I (Seasonal Recreation Facilities Supervisor) – Canton

18 March Spring Letter for participating teams

Dear Massachusetts Envirothon Coaches & Teams: Here, in one place, are links to the essential materials your team needs to prepare for this year’s Envirothon! This letter and links are also posted on the FOR TEAMS page of the Mass Envirothon web site.

Here are links to:

General Information
The 2010 Massachusetts Envirothon Schedule
Frequently Asked Questions about the 2010 Mass Envirothon (including what to wear and bring)
Massachusetts Envirothon Rules - March 2010
Community Research & Community Action Award Guidelines
Roundtable information
Directions to the Otter River State Forest, Baldwinville

NEW Current Issue information
The 2010 Current Issue Problem (including guidelines and suggestions for presentations)
2010 Current Issue Scoring Sheet
Judging Guidelines for the Current Issue

Items/tasks to be completed and returned BEFORE the event
2010 Team Registration Form (must be completed - except for signatures - and returned by Thursday, April 29)
Applications for the 2010 Mass Envirothon/UMass Amherst College of Natural Sciences Scholarship (due at the Mass Envirothon Westford office by 3:00 p.m. Friday, April 23)
Contact me by Monday, May 3 if your team is planning to qualify for a Community Research and/or Action Award.

Items to bring with you to Envirothon Registration on May 13
Signed original of your 2010 Team Registration Form
Media Release forms (must be signed by all participants or parent/guardians when participant is not yet 18)
Completed/signed Community Research & Community Action Award Checklists (optional)

Items to be returned after the Envirothon
Mass Envirothon “Story”

Please contact me (413-532-0372 or massenvirothon@gmail.com) if you have any questions about these items. I look forward to seeing you on May 13th.

5 Feb Update for Coaches
1. REGISTRATION. If February goes as quickly as January did, our deadline for registering both for the March workshop AND TO COMPETE IN MAY will be here before you know it! Please make sure all forms (and payment) are in my hands by FRIDAY FEB 26. See the form here:
2. WEB SITE. Some improvements to our website have been launched, including a "For Teams" page, which we hope includes links to all the information you and your team will need to prepare for May. There is also a revised coaches corner, now known as "E E Notes". All updates from me, plus any communication I get about the current issue (or other articles, activity ideas, events, job listings, etc.) are posted there. If you've found a great resource or have an idea you'd like to share with the network, please send it on to me so I can post it. Please also let me know if you find any problems with the site. We're trying to edit as fast as we can, but there are a lot of links!

5 Feb 2010 The Boston Sea Rovers announce their annual Career Opportunities in the Marine Sciences (COMS) Oceans Conference program for secondary school students and teachers grades 6-12. Join us for a dynamic series of programs about the world's oceans and possible careers in the marine sciences.
When: 9:30am-12:30pm Friday, March 12, 2010
Where: The Rabb Lecture Hall in our new venue the historic Boston Public Library in Copley Square, Boston (directly off the MBTA Green line).
It's Free!: A grant from the Boston Sea Rovers provides free admission for secondary school students, their teachers, and chaperone's. As space is limited, applications must be accepted for reserved seating, before February 24, 2010. For more information and to apply, please contact: George Buckley, Program Coordinator 617-998-8597

26 Jan 2010 Water Issues video

Water for Life: NOW AVAILABLE - create a link on your website to the rapid-fire overview of the award winning documentary Liquid Assets: The Story of Water Infrastructure. The 16-minute clip produced by Penn State Public Broadcasting is an excellent introduction to the infrastructure challenges we face http://liquidassets.psu.edu/index.html#overview.

"A video the Envirothon students should be aware of….so long as they can make the connection on how an aging water and sewer infrastructure and the design of existing stormwater collection and discharge systems affect groundwater quantity and quality. The video certainly covers all the bases: sewer and water mains, stormwater runoff, CSOs, towns without sewers, and watershed restoration but doesn’t say in any direct way how these affect groundwater. Nevertheless, it’s a useful video that addresses the local water-related issues cities and towns are or should be addressing and is helpful in identifying where to target their investigations for this year’s current issue."

22 Jan 2010 March Envirothon workshop scheduled

hello! I'm liking this 3 day weekend after only 2 weeks back... this should be standard practice... I've been working hard on the website and we should be launching the new format soon including an easier to use coaches page with all these updates in one place. just a few today:
1. March workshop: Late Winter Workshop for Teams and Coaches
Saturday March 6, 2010 8:45a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Ecotarium, Worcester
This workshop includes a special session on the Current Issue. All four station topics will also be covered, and a coaches advisory committee meeting will be held in the afternoon. We will have some refreshments for the morning, please bring a lunch. The agenda is coming along, I'll email again when it's ready. To register, please hit <Reply> and let me know how many students you'll be bringing. Please register by Friday Feb 26, space is limited.
2. Deadline review
Wednesday Jan 26 2010 - Winter Ecostation Workshop Registration -reply to this email
Friday, February 26, 2010 - Intent to Compete Form and payment due - form attached
AND Ecotarium Workshop registration -reply to this email

11 Jan 2010 EPA Announces 4th Annual Rachel Carson Contest

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites the public to submit creative projects to the 4th annual Rachel Carson intergenerational “Sense of Wonder” contest. The categories are poetry, photography, essays and dance. The contest seeks to instill a sense of wonder for the environment among all generations and spur environmental stewardship.
Carson is considered to be the founder of the contemporary environmental movement through her landmark book, Silent Spring. Its publication is credited with reversing the nation's pesticide policy.
Entries must be from a team of two or more persons from both younger and older generations. EPA is working with the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, the Rachel Carson Council, Inc., and Generations United to sponsor this contest.
The deadline for team entries is June 16, 2010. The winners will be announced in October 2010. The public will have the opportunity to vote among the finalists for the winners in each category. More information: http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm

8 Jan 2010 Groundwater activity: http://www.groundwater.org/kc/activity5.html
We did this with our teams. It was a good learning experience. Our suggestion is don't use cookies.
Leslie
Monson Environmental Action Team

Jan 4, 2010 Update

Dear Envirothon Coaches,
Greetings! Happy New Year!

Some updates for you

1. The UMass workshops were a splendid success. We are working with your feedback to make next year even better (yes, a longer lunch period...). Presentations and handouts are now available on the website on the current issue page.
1a. Community award checklists and updated roundtable info are available on the Community award page

2. The first winter workshop (just on ecostations) will be held on Tuesday Feb 2nd at MA DCR Headquarters-John Augustus Hall at Wachusetts Reservoir in West Boylston from 9 a.m. to 2p.m. To register, please hit <reply> and let me know how many students you'd like to bring. More information is available on the website. I'll send a reminder closer to the date. Weather cancellations will be posted on the website by 6am the morning of and I'll email everyone who has let me know that you are attending. Please register by January 26, space is limited.

3. Please save March 6 and 12 for the 2nd workshop. We are working hard to get a location and firm up the date.

4. "Envirothon 2010 intent to compete" form is attached. Please return this form with payment no later than Friday, February 26, 2010. There will be a second form in April to confirm team member names. You can email, fax or mail the form back to me. Please let me know if you have questions or issues with this.

5. Registration fees: Team registration fee is still $125 for 5 team members and 1 alternate and 1 coach. Any additional folks will be $20 each this year.

6. If you have been, or will be unable to attend workshops or the event this year due to budget reductions, please let me know. If we document these problems this year we might be more eligible for funding for transportation and registration for teams in the future.

Hope you had a great winter break and thanks for all your hard work for Envirothon!