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MASSACHUSETTSENVIR THONWelcome!

This Year’s Registered Teams

Thursday, May 12, 2016 Hopkinton State Park, Hopkinton, Mass.ENVIR� THONMASSACHUSETTS

Managing Invasive Species

2016 Current Issue

• Acton-Boxborough Regional High School • Andover High School • Ashland High School • Bedford High School • David Prouty High School • Deerfield Academy• Doherty Memorial High School• Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech High School • Greenfield High School • Innovation Academy Charter School• Leicester High School • Leominster High School • Lexington High School • McDuffie School • MEAT Monson Environmental Action Team • Millbury Jr./Sr. High School • Mount Greylock Regional School

• Newton North High School • Newton South High School • Oliver Ames High School • Pioneer Valley Regional School • Quabbin Regional High School • Reading Memorial High School • Rockland High School • SABIS International Charter School • Salem High School • Seekonk High School • Shepherd Hill Regional High School • Somerset Berkley Regional High School • South Hadley High School • Springfield Central High School • Wildland Trust/Brockton High School • Worcester Technical High School

Hopkinton State Park

InsideSchedule ....................................... 2Steering Committee ...................... 2Station Coordinators .................... 2Mass. Envirothon Council ............. 2What Happens at an Ecostation? ... 3Community Awards ...................... 32016 Current Issue ........................ 4Current Issue Presentation Judges .. 5Volunteers .................................... 6Site Map ........................................ 7Meet Our Host Site ....................... 7Sponsors & Partners .....................8

The 2016 Massachusetts Envirothon is here! We hope that you all – teams, coaches, judges, volunteers, everyone – find good challenge and community here in this beautiful outdoors of Hopkinton State Park today.

A year ago the financial picture looked so bleak that we weren’t sure there would be a 2016 Mass. Envirothon. But here we are today, with Mass. Envirothon on firm financial footing.

While there were many, many people who put their shoulders to the wheel for the future of this program this year, there were several in positions of leadership who were able to play key roles at the right moments. On behalf of all of us here today, I would like to thank Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Mass. Senator Anne Gobi, State Commission Chairman Joe Smith, Mass. Association of Conservation Districts Executive Director Jeff LaFleur, Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Forest Stewardship Director Peter Church, and DCR Service Forestry Director Jennifer Fish.

When we are prepared and committed to our team, the Envirothon can bring out our best. Good luck to all in this morning’s competition! Show us what you have learned. Push yourselves to do your best!

And after the competition, please join us for the EnviroTrek Lunch – good food and good stories about the paths you took this year, the places you visited, the people you met, and the trees, wildlife, soil, and water you got to know along the way.

Have a great day!

Will Snyder, Chair Mass. Envirothon Steering Committee

2 www.massenvirothon.org

2016 Massachusetts EnvirothonMass. Envirothon Steering CommitteeWill Snyder Chair, Mass. Envirothon Steering Committee UMass Extension, Center for Agriculture, Food & the EnvironmentDan Giza Vice Chair, Mass. Envirothon Steering Committee Formerly of Alden Research Laboratory, Inc.Doris Wood Co-Secretary, Mass. Envirothon Steering CommitteeJustin Gonsor Co-Secretary, Mass. Envirothon Steering Committee Mass. Department of Conservation & RecreationKelley Freda Mass. Department of Conservation & Recreation – Water Supply ProtectionJoe Perry Mass. Department of Conservation & RecreationLisa Trotto Worcester County Conservation DistrictGeorge Zoto Mass. Department of Environmental Protection

Steering Committee Advisory Members

Al Averill USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceWendell Cerne Mass. Science Education Leadership AssociationWilliam P. Dunham Belmont EnterprisesMatthew Goode Suffolk County Conservation DistrictAmie Humphrey Facendola Alden Research Laboratory, Inc.Pam Landry Mass. Division of Fisheries & WildlifeJulie A. Martin Mass. Department of Conservation & RecreationElizabeth McGuire Middlesex Conservation DistrictMatthew Nash Mass. Dept. of Conservation & RecreationDominique Pahlavan Executive Office of Energy & Environmental AffairsDiane Baedeker Petit USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceClif Read Mass. Department of Conservation & RecreationJudy Reilly Bristol-Myer SquibbEric Seaborn National GridBrita Dempsey Mass. Envirothon Coordinator

..................................................................Station Coordinators/Curriculum SpecialistsAl Averill USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceKelley Freda Mass. Department of Conservation & Recreation, Water Supply ProtectionPam Landry Mass. Division of Fisheries & WildlifeDominique Pahlavan Executive Office of Energy & Environmental AffairsJoe Perry Mass. Department of Conservation & RecreationWill Snyder UMass Extension, Center for Agriculture, Food & the Environment

Schedule7:30 - 8:30 Registration for teams,

volunteers and judges

Teams confirm their stations and presentation time

Team pictures

8:00 Orientation for volunteers and judges

8:30 - 8:45 WELCOME from Commissioner Leo Roy, Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, and announcements

9:00 - 10:05 First period

9:00 - 9:30 Current Issue 1.1

9:35 - 10:05 Current Issue 1.2

10:15 - 11:20 Second period

10:15 - 10:45 Current Issue 2.1

10:50 - 11:20 Current Issue 2.2

11:30 - 12:35 Third period

11:30 - 12:00 Current Issue 3.1

12:05 - 12:35 Current Issue 3.2

12:35 - 1:45 EnviroTrek Lunch

12:45 - 1:45 Informal team displays and conversations. Visit exhibits and info tables on ecostation tests, Student Conservation Association and Mass. Envirothon Council.

1:45 Group photo, evaluation surveys

2:00 Announcement of Community Awards

..................................................................Massachusetts Envirothon CouncilMatthew Beaton Secretary of Energy & Environmental AffairsMary Bell College of Natural Sciences, UMass AmherstGeorge Buckley Harvard Extension SchoolDeborah Cary MassAudubonWarren Chamberlain Mass. State Grange Meg Colclough Executive Office of Energy & Environmental AffairsMichelle Fineblum Mass. Envirothon parent Matthew Goode Suffolk County Conservation DistrictSteve Goodwin Dean, College of Natural Sciences, UMass AmherstNathan Nesbitt Mass. Envirothon alumnusJeff LaFleur Mass. Association of Conservation Districts Marion Larson Mass. Division of Fisheries & WildlifeJoe Smith State Commission for Conservation of Soil, Water & Related ResourcesWill Snyder UMass Extension, Center for Agriculture, Food & the Environment

www.facebook.com/maenvirothon

3www.massenvirothon.org

2016 Massachusetts Envirothon

Come to the EnviroTrek Lunch!

When the testing is over, everyone is invited to eat lunch, unwind, make new friends from across the state and share connections at the EnviroTrek Lunch. Here’s how it works:

All through the year, your team works hard, plays hard, meets new people, finds new places, tries new experiences, gets wet, dirty and tired, designs a t-shirt, stays up late to prepare and generally has a good time through the year as you get ready for the May Envirothon. This is your EnviroTrek!

During the EnviroTrek Lunch, each team has a home table. At each table, at any given time, two or three “home team” members share their team’s experiences with “visitors” from other teams.

The place buzzes with stories, ideas, opinions and concerns as each home team shows and tells about their experiences. Visitors, who move from table to table, offer questions and views. Team members take turns sitting at the home table and visiting other tables.

EVERYONE at the Envirothon – teams, judges, coaches, volunteers, sponsors – is welcome to join in!

At the Massachusetts Envirothon, teams rotate through four ecostations, in addition to giving their Current Issue presentation. Each ecostation has a different emphasis: forestry, soil, water and wildlife.

When students arrive at each ecostation, the examiners instruct them to get into their distinct teams. Teams listen to examiners for a brief time to become familiar with that station, its questions and any other special instructions.

It’s then up to the team to determine their strategy in taking the exam. They can break up and use individual strengths (for example, one or two people focus on species ID, while the others do the written section), or go through the exam as a team.

The ecostations generally incorporate questions that are:

• Written - multiple choice, true or false or fill-in-the-blank.

• Practical - This may include species identification, questions that relate to the soils or habitat surrounding the station and hands-on activities.

What happens at an Ecostation?

Why Community Awards? Teams work hard to prepare for their

Envirothon Current Issue presentation. They deserve recognition for this work! And if their research results in a service or action project that benefits their community, this also should be recognized. The Massachusetts Envirothon Community Awards provide important recognition for teams, plus visibility for schools and their communities.

Teams who work to qualify for the awards tell us that they have a better Envirothon experience overall. Everybody wins! These awards are optional and non-competitive. They can be earned by any team that meets the requirements for the awards. Teams can earn one or both of these awards:

The Community Research Award is presented to teams who have done thorough and wide-ranging community investigation in preparation for their

Current Issue presentations. To meet the standard for the award, they must show that they have been resourceful in using a range of research strategies -- exploring community places, talking to a variety of people, using maps, researching at the library and town offices, and using the web.

The Community Action Award is presented to teams who take what they learn in their Current Issue research and use that knowledge to benefit their

community. All kinds of action projects are possible: community education, advocating for change, collecting data, or hands-on conservation projects in the field. They might plug into an existing community effort, or develop a project of their own.

On the day of the Envirothon competition teams meet with an Envirothon volunteer who will interview them about their experiences preparing for the award(s).

The Community Awards are a great opportunity to spread the word about the good work that Envirothon teams do! Teams who earn the awards receive recognition and a certificate at the May competition. A letter of congratulations is sent to each team’s principal, with copies to their coaches, superintendent, community partners, state legislators, local news media contacts, and the state Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs. S

Community Awards for Research & Action



How does the Current Issue work?

In this component of the Envirothon program, teams research a current environmental issue as it occurs in their own community, then prepare a presentation on their findings and proposed solutions.

The Massachusetts Envirothon Committee works to ensure that the topic is relevant to ALL Massachusetts communities.

Wide-ranging community research is encouraged, including field study; interviews of scientists, advocates, local officials and residents; internet and library searches; map reading; and visits to Town Hall.

At the competition, teams present their Current Issue findings and recommendations to a panel of expert judges who score them and provide feedback on their knowledge, proposed solutions and presentation skill.

A highlight of the experience is the interaction between the teams and the judges when the scoring is completed. After the morning competition, teams have a chance to share their projects informally at a lunchtime “EnviroTrek” session.

Many teams take what they learn in their Current Issue research and apply it in a community action project. Any team that demonstrates high research standards in their Current Issue work, or applies their Envirothon learning in a service project, is eligible for an Envirothon Community Award.

2016 Current Issue

Managing Invasive SpeciesThe geographic spread of species has

been an essential feature of biological evolution and the development of ecological communities over time. In the past century, however, the magnitude and speed of the change – in terms of numbers of species, swiftness of spread, and geographic extent – have increased dramatically. Human activity is responsible, and the ecological disruption has been significant. We have entered the Anthropocene Era.

Species invasions have been identified as a widespread environmental problem by scientists and resource managers. No place, particularly in an urbanized state like Massachusetts, is unaffected. Invaders include plants, animals, and pathogens.

Species invasions are a natural consequence of 20th century civilization. Global trade has introduced species to new locations where they encounter favorable conditions and no natural enemies. Landscape changes like sprawling development can provide disturbed and edge conditions where introduced species can proliferate. Burning fossil fuels creates a carbon dioxide rich atmosphere and warmer temperatures, accelerating climate change and favoring different species.

Invasions can have a variety of effects. Some may cause economic damage, some harm human health, some impair

ecological processes. Some have a combination of these effects. Some have very little easily perceptible effect, and some lead to catastrophic change. Some invasions proceed slowly, some rapidly.

Governments and environmental organizations, scientists, and many citizen volunteers, have mobilized to address these problems in recent decades.

The Massachusetts Envirothon 2016 Current Issue challenged teams to investigate species changes and management interventions that are taking place in their communities. They did field research, developed recommendations, and are presenting their findings to a panel of judges here at the Envirothon competition.

Their task was to answer this question: What is the most noteworthy change in species and ecological community relationships affecting or potentially affecting your community? What – if anything – should be done? S

Asian Longhorned beetle Oriental bittersweet

Purple loosestrife Zebra mussel

Emerald ash borer



Current Issue Presentation JudgesJudges as of May 10, 2016

Community Awards Interviewers• Maggi Brown, Mass. Dept. of

Conservation & Recreation, Boston Region

• George Buckley, Harvard Extension School, Sustainability & Environmental Management Program

• Deborah Cary, Mass. Audubon, Broad Meadow Brook

• Katharine O’Donnell• Joe Shoenfeld, UMass Center

for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

Presentation Hosts• Susan Cox, U.S. Forest Service• Lisa Gustavsen, Mass. Dept. of

Conservation & Recreation, Quabbin Reservoir

• Andrea Langhauser, Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection, Waterways Regulation

• Joan Muller, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

• Roberta Oles, Mass. Agriculture in the Classroom

• Carol Szocik, Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources

• Felicia Bakaj, Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources

• Paul Barten, Ph.D., UMass Dept. of Environmental Conservation

• Alison Bates, Ph.D., UMass Dept. of Environmental Conservation

• Matthew Beaton, Secretary, Mass. Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

• Warren Chamberlain, State Commission for Conservation of Soil, Water, & Related Resources

• Dan Clark, Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, Water Supply Protection

• Neil Clark, The Writing Company

• Melissa Cryan, Mass. Exec. Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

• Scott Davis, Mass. State Grange

• Paula Davison, Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, Water Supply Protection

• Christy Edwards, Mass. Dept. of Fish & Game

• Linde Eyster, Mass. Association of Science Teachers

• Nancy M. Eyster-Smith, Ph.D., Bentley University

• Michelle Fineblum, Mass. Envirothon Council

• Jennifer Forman-Orth, Ph.D., Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources

• Kurt Gaertner, Mass. Exec. Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

• Mary Griffin, Mass. Audubon, Southeast, Cape & Islands Region

• Stephen Harper, Harper’s Farm

• John Hayes, Ph.D., Salem State University, Geography Dept.

• Doug Hjorth, Louis Berger Group, Inc.

• Arthur Hughes III, Mass. Exec. Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

• Marion Larson, Mass. Wildlife

• Jameson Long, USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service

• Julie Martin, Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, State Parks & Recreation

• Carl Melberg, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

• William Miller, Ph.D., UMass Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

• Jonathan Niedzielski, USDA Farm Service Agency

• Robert O’Connor, Mass. Exec. Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

• Emmanuel Owusu-Boakye, Mass. Exec. Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

• Dominique Pahlavan, Mass. Exec. Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

• Gerry Palano, Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources

• Juan Perez, MPA, Environmental Protection Agency

• Mark Protti, Institute for Training & Development

• Timothy Randhir, Ph.D., UMass Dept. of Environmental Conservation

• Martha Reichert, Mass. Exec. Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

• Julie Richburg, Ph.D., The Trustees of Reservations

• Kevin Scherer, City of Worcester

• Eric F. Seaborn, National Grid

• Janice Stone, Town of South Hadley, Conservation Dept.

• Randy Stone, Mass Dept. of Conservation & Recreation (retired)

• Dawn Travalini, National Grid

• Joel Zimmerman, Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, Water Supply Protection



Volunteers

• Adam Army

• Carisa Beltran

• Sam Bernard

• Gianna Borowski

• Taylor Dauderis

• Kennedy Day

• Julie Dick

• Angelina Fenuccio

• Randi Kriston

• Erica Lawson

• Meg Lawson

• Mark LeClaire

• Paul Muturi

• Thomas Machacz

• Kailey Mattus

• Hailey Maynard

• Ashley Ngo

• Taylor Palmer

• Sarah Reilly

• Taylor Samuelson

• Karleen Shorette

• Sam Stafinski

• Gianna Vigliatura

• Haley Wales

• Kai Warren

• Kyle Willette

Millbury Jr./Sr. High School Environmental Council

Volunteers as of May 10, 2016• Gillian Badwan, Mass. Dept. of Conservation

& Recreation• Dan Berard, USDA Animal & Plant Health

Inspection Service• Becky Bottomley, Envirothon Coach (retired)• Jason Budge, Student Conservation Assoc.• Alex Butcher, Wegmans Food Market• Jeff Cate, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Charles Citrone, USDA Animal & Plant Health

Inspection Service• Fletcher Clark, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Brian Dale, Town of Falmouth• Paula Davison, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Irene Del-Bono, Attorney at Law• Mike Downey, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Andrew Drawec, Smithfield Foods• Erik Erbes, Student Conservation Assoc.• Soraya Farivar, Student Conservation Assoc.• Shawn Finn, USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service• Norma Forgione, Mass. Dept. of Conservation

& Recreation• Taylor Greene, Student Conservation Assoc.• Paul Gregory, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Emily Griffin, MassWildlife• Julianna Huang, Town of Newton• Astrid Huseby, MassWildlife• Doug Hutcheson, Mass. Dept. of Conservation

& Recreation• Jack Jackson, Town of Haverhill• Melanie Joy-Cooper, Elms College • Lauren Knox, Town of Westborough• Guy LaChance, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Jim Lafley, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation

• Jim Lagacy, MassWildlife• Moe Lavoie, Smithfield Foods• Rick LeBlanc, Mass. Dept. of Agricultural

Resources• Heather Lipp, Wegmans Food Market• Jameson Long, USDA Animal & Plant Health

Inspection Service• Sean Mahoney, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Kate Marquis, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Austin Mason, Consulting Forester• Antony Massop, USDA Animal & Plant Health

Inspection Service• Bridgett McAlice, MassWildlife• Donna Miranda-Berneche, USDA Natural

Resources Conservation Service• Laura Muller, Wheaton College• Mathew Nash, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Kimberly Osienski, Mass. Assoc. of

Conservation Districts• Paula Packard, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Michele Padula, Mass. Dept. of Agricultural

Resources• Chuck Pernaa, Town of Ashby• Les Perry, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation, Shawme Crowell Park Supervisor• Mary Perry• Moria Perry Barrows, Town of Granby• Ray Picard, Smithfield Foods• Dan Rankin, Smithfield Foods• Daniel Roach, UMass Amherst student• Glenn Rosenholm, U.S. Forest Service• Tom Ryan, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Sam Shaughnessy, Town of Plymouth• Estella Smith, USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service• Blue Snyder, Wheaton College

• Bruce Spencer, Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation (retired)

• Carol Szocik, Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources

• Ryan Thomas, USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service

• Christine Thurber, USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service

• Gini Traub, Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation

• Catherine Ulitsky, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

• Rich Valcourt, Town of Phillipston• Joelle Vautour, Mass. Dept. of Conservation

& Recreation• Mike Waterman, Mass. Dept. of Conservation

& Recreation• Laura Wernborg, Wegmans Food Market• Erica Willey, USDA Animal & Plant Health

Inspection Service• Justin Willey, USDA Animal & Plant Health

Inspection Service• Martine Wong, Cambridge Water• Alison Wright, Mass. Dept. of Conservation &

Recreation• Dave Zimmermann, USDA Natural

Resources Conservation Service



Envirothon Site Map

Hopkinton State ParkMeet Our Host Site

Hopkinton State Park is located in the towns of Hopkinton and Ashland

and managed by the Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation.

The park was created after the Hopkinton Reservoir was removed from service as a water source for the Greater Boston area. The park features beaches and a bathing pond for swimming that is physically separated from Hopkinton Reservoir, where non-motorized boating is permitted.

There are seasonal facilities for kayak and canoe rental, and picnicking. Park trails may be used for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. There is also a camp for children that teaches sailing, kayaking, canoeing, and windsurfing. S



THANK YOU!

Special thanks to...the judges, volunteers, coaches, agencies,

organizations, schools, parents and all whose hard work and support make the Mass.

Envirothon possible!

The Massachusetts Envirothon

is a program of the

Massachusetts State Commission

for Conservation of Soil, Water & Related

Resources.

Our work would not be possible without

contributions of time, resources and

funding from these sponsors and partners.

Partners�� Alden Research Laboratory, Inc.

�� Berkshire Conservation District

�� Cape Cod Conservation District

�� Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources

�� Mass. Assoc. of Conservation Districts

�� Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation

�� Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection

�� Mass. Div. of Fisheries & Wildlife (MassWildlife)

�� Mass. Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs

�� Middlesex Conservation District

�� UMass Amherst, College of Natural Sciences

�� UMass Amherst, Center for Agriculture, Food & the Environment/UMass Extension

�� UMass Amherst, Dept. of Environmental Conservation

�� USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

��Worcester County Conservation District

��Worcester Technical High School

Hopkinton State Park StaffJeff Cate, Park Supervisor

Richard Trubiano

Jeff Culliton

Justin Blanchette

Sponsors Foundational Sponsors �� U.S. Forest Service through the Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation

�� Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs, Conservation District Innovation Grant Program

Sponsor of Mass. Team at NCF Envirothon�� National Grid

Power Breakfast Sponsor ��Wegmans

EnviroTrek Lunch Sponsors �� Mass. State Grange

�� Smithfield Foods

��Whittier Farms (additionally supported by Richardson Ice Cream, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, and Sysco Boston)

Prize Sponsors �� Museum of Science Boston�� New England Aquarium�� Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation

General Sponsors Quabbin Level ($1,000 and up) �� Naomi Volain�� George Buckley �� Environmental Business Council of New England

Peregrine Falcon Level ($500 and up) �� Green Newton�� New England Chapter of the Wildlife Society

Paxton Sandy Loam Level ($100 and up) �� Melinda Broderick�� Michelle Fineblum�� Marcia Cooper & Jeff Rosenberg�� The Pfizer Foundation��Will Snyder

Other Sponsors �� The New Studio�� Elizabeth McGuire

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