Envirothon 2026
Written by Jazmin Gall, Field Technician
For the past three years, the Central Algoma Land Trust has had a permanent circle marked on our calendars, and it’s easily become one of our favourite annual traditions: supporting the Algoma District Regional Envirothon and Competition, an event coordinated by Forests Canada.
If you’ve never heard of Envirothon, imagine a fast-paced environmental competition where teams of high school students are challenged to think critically and creatively about the natural world. Throughout the school year, students participate in classroom learning and hands-on workshops hosted by environmental and natural resource professionals. Here they build on their practical field skills and environmental knowledge that are later put to the test during the competition.
What amazes me is the sheer scale of it all. Envirothon began in the United States in 1988 with just a few states participating. Canadian teams then joined the program in 1992 and by 1995, the first district competition had been established here in Algoma. Today, students from across Canada, the United States, Singapore, and China begin at the regional level, all working toward their chance of competing internationally.
Locally, our regional Envirothon competition takes place every May over two jam-packed days. This year, the Algoma Highlands Conservancy once again hosted the event at Stokely Creek Lodge - a breathtaking backdrop that has served as the ultimate outdoor classroom for many years.
For me, this was my first time supporting Envirothon as an instructor, and it turned out to be a much more meaningful experience than I had anticipated!
Stokely Creek
Coming Full Circle
Earlier this year when I was asked to fill the very large shoes of Corinne, our Conservation Manager, and lead the aquatics station at the Envirothon Competition, I couldn’t say no. It was a full-circle moment for me as I had actually competed in Envirothon myself back in high school.
My team ended up winning our own regional competition and we had the privilege to advance to provincials. Although I competed in a different region of Ontario (Simcoe-Dufferin represent wootwoot!), stepping back onto Envirothon grounds still brought back a flood of memories: endless hours of studying, goofy moments fueled by sunshine and too little sleep, and the excitement of doing hands-on science outdoors instead of inside a classroom.
To be honest, I was just as nervous this time around as I had been as a student. I wanted to create a session that felt as impactful as the ones led by the instructors who inspired me years ago.
Thankfully, I wasn’t alone.
Corinne helped me prepare resources and organize the station, while our incredible volunteers - Kiki from NORDIK, along with Adrian and Celeste (another Envirothon alum!), generously gave their time to make Training Day a success. Even my partner, Hunter, joined me on Saturday to help mark tests. Fun fact: Hunter is also an Envirothon alum and was one of my high school teammates!
Of course, none of this would have been possible without Guy Smith, from Forests Canada, and Ruth Koskenoja, a very dedicated volunteer, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to coordinate everything for the instructors and students alike!
Jazmin, Adrian, Kiki and Celeste (left to right), along Stokely Creek
Day 1: Training Day
The first day of the competition is all about preparation. Students rotate through five hands-on stations led by local professionals: Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, Presentation Skills, and, of course, Aquatics. At each station, they learn practical skills and techniques that they’ll be tested on the following day.
List of Envirothon community partners for 2025-2026.
At our Aquatics station, we split the teams into two groups:
The Chemists: One group used water testing kits on samples from Stokely Creek, measuring a whole slew of parameters like pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen, while investigating how stream width and surrounding plant species influence water quality.
Students completing chemical analysis of water samples with Kiki and Adrian
The Biologists: The second group dove into the world of Benthic Macroinvertebrates, learning how to identify the "creepy crawlies" along the stream bed and why they are such vital indicators of stream health.
Students working on their ID skills of benthic macroinvertebrates with Celeste
By the end of day one, everyone was tired, and a little chilly, since it actually started snowing on us! But as instructors, we left feeling completely inspired. The students' passion was contagious, and their in-depth questions completely knocked our socks off. There were times they asked things so complex we couldn't even give them an immediate answer!
Two of the teams discussing watershed health at the start of their Training Day session.
Day 2: Testing Day (and a Little Sunshine)
Thankfully, day two greeted us with blue skies, sunshine, and much calmer weather, making Testing Day a beautiful experience… at least for us instructors!
For the students, this is when things get intense. Teams complete a practical test in each subject area using field instruments, and deliver a formal presentation. It was such a pleasure to watch these students divide and conquer, problem-solve on their feet, and fiercely support their teammates under pressure.
Setup of the ID portion of the Aquatics Station on test day.
To cap off two very full days, was the awards ceremony. This year, the Senior team from Elliot Lake Secondary School took the crown! They will be representing the Algoma District at the University of Waterloo for the Provincial Competition!
Why Envirothon Matters
Experiencing this event from the “other side” gave me a chance to reflect on my time as a competitor and on my biggest takeaway from it: the trajectory of my life.
Envirothon was a pivotal moment for me. I had always loved the outdoors, but before participating, I had no idea how many green career paths existed. The program gave me a glimpse into real-world environmental work and directly influenced both my education and career.
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to give back to a program that had such a meaningful impact on my life.
I can only hope that this year, a few more students experienced that same spark of inspiration.
After seeing their knowledge, skills, curiosity, and determination firsthand, I’d say there’s a very good chance that our future is in excellent hands.
Group photo of (mostly) all teams and community partners at the end of two very fun-filled days!
The Central Algoma Land Trust depends on the generous support of our local community to carry out our work. Please consider making a donation to help advance conservation efforts across the Central Algoma region. Your contribution will help protect the natural spaces and wildlife that make this area so special.
