Environmental and natural resource education has a responsibility to ensure an educated public and provide students prepared to enter careers in environmental and natural resource industry. The purpose of the environmental and natural resource career development event is to stimulate student interest and to promote environmental and natural resource instruction in the agriculture food and natural resource curriculum and to provide recognition for those who have demonstrated skills and competencies as a result of environmental and natural resource instruction.

1. Under no circumstance will any participant be allowed to handle any of the items in the identification portion of the practicums. Any infraction of this rule will be sufficient to eliminate a team from the event.

2. Participants must come to the event prepared to work in adverse weather conditions. The event will be conducted regardless of the weather conditions. Participants should have rainwear, warm clothes, and appropriate footwear.

3. Approved calculators may be used. Possession of electronic devices is prohibited pursuant to CDE General Rules.

4. All written material will be furnished for the event. No written materials such as tests, problems and worksheets shall be removed from the site. However, official results will be available online after contest awards assembly.

1. Materials student must provide – Each participant may bring an electronic calculator. Calculators used in this event should be battery operated, non-programmable, and silent with large keys and large displays. Calculators should have only these functions: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, equals, percent, square root, +/- key, and one memory register. No other calculators are allowed to be used during the event. EACH PARTICIPANT will be responsible for bringing his/her own dedicated handheld GPS unit. Minimum requirements for GPS will be Garmin eTrex receiver or compatible. Position accuracy WAAS enabled 3 meters, 20 routes, 500 waypoints (total). No pc application devices such phones, I-pods, I- pads, etc. will be allowed. EACH PARTICIPANT will also be responsible for bringing: a. Safety glasses

b. clean transparent clipboard and (3)

c. No.2 pencils.

2. Equipment provided – Participants must use the other tools and equipment furnished for the event. All activities will be on a scan sheet grading system. Scan sheets will be provided by Tarleton State University for each contest

aspect. Hach brand water analysis kits will be provided for water analysis practicum.

1. Written exam – Objective Test (100 points) (60 Minutes)

Fifty questions submitted by the committee from listed references.

2. Annual Practicum’s

Students will participate in the following:

Students will be given a Global Issue scenario dealing with environmental and natural resource issues. Each participant will have 10 minutes to review the materials and 10 minutes to answer 10 written questions.

Every effort is made for actual specimens preserved or live for identification purposes. Students will identify 50 items from the following combined areas:

i. equipment

ii. plants

iii. wildlife

iv. fish

v. reptiles/amphibian

vi. predators

vii. birds

viii. non – native Species

3. Rotational Practicum’s

Students will participate in the following practicums and should be prepared to evaluate any of the parameters below.

i. Using measuring devices, each participant will measure a sample of water for quality analysis and contaminants such as pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and phosphorus.

ii. Analyze the results of measurements.

iii. Name possible causes of the particulate or other contaminant:

• Are they natural?

• Are they pollutants (what level is acceptable)?

iv. Describe the effects on the environment of the pollutants.

v. List the sources of the pollutants.

vi. Discuss ways the water quality can be improved.

Participants should be prepared to use the GPS unit to complete any of the following:

i. Identify the longitude and latitude of a given set of points using a GPS unit and/or a map.

ii. Identify boundaries of a given area including calculation of land area and linear feet of boundary.

iii. Determine slope of land area.

iv. Use GPS unit and topographic map to layout location of fence line, pond, drainage structure or other related facilities.

v. Use a GPS unit to mark location of a path or road through a given area.

i. See Texas Land Judging Rules – Due to time constraints it is possible that only Part I will be used.