1. Who should be members of the Committee?
The success of your Envirothon competition will depend on how well you can organize your State/Provincial Envirothon Committee. Historically, coordination of state/provincial committees has been handled by natural resource agencies/organizations.
It is suggested that no more than 12-15 people be chosen to sit on the committee. You may want to include members on your committee from:
Non-Profit Conservation Organizations - e.g. Audubon Society, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, Forestry Associations, Other
Natural Resource Agencies - e.g., Natural Resource/Conservation Associations, Provincial/Governmental Resource Agencies, Departments, Fishery and Wildlife Organizations, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, University Extensions, Departments of Education, Non-profit Educational Programs
There are other key people in your state/province who you may also want to contact about your plans to create an Envirothon Committee. Your search may include: State/Provincial Board of Education; State/Provincial Agriculture, Science, or Environmental Education Coordinators; State/Provincial Department of Natural Resources Education Coordinator; National Forest Supervisor; Projects Learning Tree, Wild and WET coordinators; Natural Resources Conservation Service Public Affairs Specialists.
2. How Do I Form a Committee?
Sometimes it is not obvious who you are going to have on your first Envirothon Committee. If you're lucky, you will have too many potential members. However, if you are stuck at this first step, here are some suggested instructions:
a. Call an initial meeting to form your Envirothon Committee.
b. Invite all interested parties.
c. Find out who will be in attendance and what agencies or groups they represent.
d. Be sure everyone is clear about the time and location of the meeting.
e. Given the target number of members you would like on your committee, decide how many representatives from each agency can sit on the committee (e.g., if you have 6 agencies attending the meeting and would like a committee of 12-15 members, allow each agency 2 positions).
f. If desired, form an advisory committee to accommodate other interested parties.
g. Proceed immediately to the agenda (see sample agenda) or set a date for the first official committee meeting.
Advisory Committee
Many regions elect to limit the number of members on the Envirothon Committee and, therefore, form an advisory committee consisting of all representatives of agencies and groups interested in pursuing the goals of the Envirothon program. Advisory committees have no vote on Envirothon policy matters, but advise the Envirothon Committee as to the direction and changes for the program. Advisory Committee typically incorporate experts from the various testing stations, education, and industry/natural resource personnel.