Welcome to the Iowa Envirothon!
The Iowa Envirothon is proudly presented and organized by the Conservation Districts of Iowa!
What is the Iowa Envirothon?
The Iowa Envirothon is an environmental and natural resource conservation problem-solving, team-building, and leadership experience and competition for 9th–12th-grade students. Through regional testing and the state competition, students exhibit their knowledge in these four areas: forestry and prairies, aquatic ecology, wildlife, and soil and land use. Teams qualifying for the state contest also prepare an oral presentation on the year’s current environmental issue.
Goals of the Iowa Envirothon:
- Increase students’ knowledge and awareness of the interrelationship of our natural resources.
- Promote environmental awareness and stewardship.
- Develop students’ critical thinking, cooperative problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Provide awareness of and access to resource organizations that offer assistance with environmental issues.
National Conservation Foundation (NCF) – Envirothon
The Iowa Envirothon was developed in conjunction with and is the qualifying event in Iowa for the international National Conservation Foundation (NCF) – Envirothon competition. The NCF-Envirothon is North America’s largest environmental competition for high school students. The program began in Pennsylvania in 1979, and since then, hundreds of thousands of students have participated in Envirothon across the United States, China, Canada, Singapore, and now the Virgin Islands. By incorporating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) principles, hands-on learning, and outdoor field experiences, this experience equips students worldwide with the skills and knowledge to become lifelong environmental stewards.
The NCF-Envirothon also selects the current environmental issue each year, in which students explore and formulate creative solutions to real-world problems affecting ecosystems and communities worldwide.
Every year, the top-scoring team at the Iowa Envirothon state competition gets the opportunity to compete and represent Iowa in the international NCF-Envirothon competition.
↑ Click the logo to visit the NCF-Envirothon website and learn more information!
Starting in 2023, the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition (ICEC) has partnered with CDI to promote this program and provide an opportunity for qualifying schools that are new to the Iowa Envirothon:
ICEC will support schools with an urban and/or diverse population OR have a need from having a 55% or greater of the student population eligible for free/reduced lunch who are new to Envirothon since 2024. These new participants are eligible to receive a free environmental science and conservation equipment kit.
- ICEC has a limited number of environmental science and conservation equipment “kits” used in the hands-on portion of the state competition available to first-time schools/teams! ICEC and CDI are focused on recruiting additional teams to this competition.
- To be eligible, schools (coaches / advisors) must register their team(s) and pay the $80 registration fee to the Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI).
What are the steps to receiving the environmental and conservation equipment:
- Look for the 2026 Iowa Envirothon Registration form to go live!
- Register your teams before the deadline.
- Pay the per team $80 registration fee to CDI.
- Complete the on-line regional test in the allotted time frame.
Have any questions about the Iowa Envirothon? Need a W9 or have financial questions?
Please contact the Conservation Districts of Iowa!
2027 Iowa Envirothon
Announcing the 2027 Current Environmental Issue:
Soil Health Management: Agricultural Principles and Stewardship
This year’s environmental issue explores the biological, chemical, and physical principles of soil health and their importance to sustainable agriculture. Students will learn how soil functions as a living ecosystem, how management practices affect soil processes (nutrient cycling, water dynamics, agricultural sustainability), and how to evaluate and improve soil health on farms.
Important 2027 Iowa Envirothon Dates and Information
Registration opens on November 1st, 2026, and closes on February 26th, 2027.
Online Regional testing: Monday, March 8th, 2027 – Friday, March 26th, 2027
State Iowa Envirothon competition: Monday, April 26th, 2027, at Jester Park Nature Center, Granger, Iowa
International NCF-Envirothon: July 25 – 31, 2027, in Emmitsburg, Maryland
Check back for more information on the 2027 Iowa Envirothon in Fall 2026!
Decorah Naturally Selected Goes To Mississippi!
Naturally Selected, from Decorah High School, placed 24th at the 2026 International NCF Envirothon! The international competition was held July 19-25 at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. While representing Iowa, the Decorah team learned about non-point pollution (NPS) and how individual choices can connect to broader environmental systems. Good job, Decorah Naturally selected!
