12 Envirothon competitor Carlos Sanchez
Science competition fuels love of outdoors Carlos Sanchez, 17, admits to having “a really long list of (possible) college majors.” But one thing has become clear to Carlos, a Lawrence School senior from Hudson. “I will go into something involving the environment,” he says. Carlos’s academic interests have been fueled by his participation in Envirothon, a competition in which high school students are challenged in the areas of forestry, wildlife, aquatics, soils and groundwater at outdoor stations. The <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Conservancy</strong> was a major sponsor of the <strong>2010</strong> Area 2 Envirothon, which drew more than 400 students from 15 counties. Carlos is one of the original members of his Sagamore Hills Township school’s 3-year-old Envirothon team, which is advised by science teachers Karen Callahan and Joyce Freeman. “It seemed like something cool, something I would really have an interest in,” says Carlos, who plays basketball and sings in the choir at Lawrence. “I found out that I really enjoy working with other people on environmental issues. And I like the competitive aspect of it.” This year’s regional competition in Chardon was hosted by the Geauga and Trumbull Soil and Water Conservation Districts with the assistance of public and private partners, including the <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Conservancy</strong>, Dominion, Giant Eagle, the Geauga Park District and Lake Metroparks. Freeman says preparing for the competition is an extremely valuable learning experience for the students, especially those whose grasp of science is enhanced by hands-on experiences. “One thing we stress is team collaboration – they have to work as a team, not just have one person answering all the questions,” she says. “The kids also have to have a passion for the science. One of the most rewarding things is when the students start to see how one aspect of our environment has an effect on another – that everything is connected.” 501 Acres Summit 309 Acres 2056 Acres Stark Portage 53 Acres Ottawa 756 Acres Medina 2563 Acres Lorain 563 Acres Lake Acres Protected by County 1050 Acres Huron 1724 Acres Trumbull 147 Acres Ashland Huron County tops land protection list 3328 Acres Ashtabula County 6891 Acres Geauga 135 Acres Columbiana 1449 Acres Cuyahoga 181 Acres Erie Eight hundred sixty-one acres in Huron County were protected by <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Conservancy</strong> conservation easements during fiscal year <strong>2010</strong>, the highest total among counties in our service area. Ashtabula (398 acres) and Lorain (384 acres) were next on the list for FY<strong>2010</strong>. Overall, the <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Conservancy</strong> has protected the most property in Geauga County, with 6,681 acres, followed by Ashtabula (3,328 acres), Lorain (2,563), Portage (2,056), Trumbull (1,724), Cuyahoga (1,449) and Huron (1,050). Mahoning and Wayne are the only counties within the <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Conservancy</strong>’s service area where we have not preserved land. The number of counties with protected properties has been on the rise since 2006, when eight local land trusts merged to form <strong>Western</strong> <strong>Reserve</strong> <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Conservancy</strong>. At the start of calendar year <strong>2010</strong>, Grand River Partners merged with the <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Conservancy</strong>. The <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Conservancy</strong> has preserved property in 15 counties – 12 within its 14-county service region and three in the “special project areas” of Ashland, Columbiana and Ottawa counties. 13