2027 Iowa Envirothon​

Announcing the 2027 Iowa Envirothon State Competition → Monday, April 26th, 2026 at Jester Park Nature Center, Granger, Iowa

2027 Current Issue

Soil Health Management: Agricultural Principles and Stewardship

Important 2027 Iowa Envirothon Dates and Information

Registration will open in Fall 2026

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!

Structure of the Iowa Envirothon

Who Can Compete?

To participate in the Iowa Envirothon, teams must consist of five members. A team will not be allowed to compete unless five members are present at the competition. As this is a high school competition, team members must be enrolled in grades 9-12 during the school year preceding the international NFC Envirothon competition.

For more information, please review the Iowa Envirothon Rules and Regulations ↓

2026 Iowa Envirothon Rules and Regulations

Testing Format

The Iowa Envirothon consists of two competitions: a virtual regional competition and an in-person state competition. Students and coaches can anticipate a testing format for the regional and state competitions that will include the following:

  • Terms & Definitions
  • Calculations
  • Matching
  • Identification
  • Multiple Choice
  • Fill in the Blank
  • Sampling and Testing (State Competition Only)

Regional Competition

The regional competition is conducted online and will include a test in each of four areas: forestry and prairies, aquatic ecology, wildlife, and soil and land use. Each test will include 25 questions, each worth one point. The total potential top score for each team would be 100 points (25 points per area). The top 15 teams from the regional competition will be eligible to compete at the State level. Each school or club may register and enter as many teams as they want in the regional competition, but only the top two teams from each school or club will be eligible to compete at the state competition. Each student will be allowed to compete on only one team.

To access these tests, you need to assign a proctor who will supervise the teams while they take the tests. The proctor must be a faculty member at the team’s school. The proctor cannot be the team coach. The proctor will receive an email for each test containing a link to the online test and a password required for access. The proctor must remain with the team until testing is completed.

State Competition

The state competition will be held at the Jester Park Nature Center nearGranger, Iowa, and will include a test in each of five areas: forestry and prairies, aquatic ecology, wildlife, soil and land use, and a current issue. Each test will be worth 75 points and will include approximately 25 questions. There will also be an oral presentation, worth 150 points, based on a scenario related to the current issues topic, which will be the same as the international competition. During the oral presentation, teams will analyze the given scenario and develop an action plan to address key issues. The maximum possible score for each team is 450 points.

The scenario for the oral presentation, along with additional resources to help prepare for the state competition, will be provided to qualifying teams at least two weeks before the competition, or earlier.

NCF-Envirothon Annual Internation Competition

The top team in the State of Iowa will receive an expense-paid trip to attend the NCF-Envirothon annual international competition. During the international Envirothon competition, teams from around the country will explore the area’s landscapes, engage with conservation issues, and dive into a learning experience curated around that year’s current issue. Beyond the competition, teams will get to have some fun throughout the week with team-building activities, ceremonies, and social events. For more information about the international Envirothon competition, please visit the NCF-Envirothon website at https://envirothon.org/.