Soil Conservation Districts were born not only to assist landowners who seek it, but also to educate the public on matters pertaining to soil and water quality as it relates to our local environment. Some educational activities in which the district participates in are:
Calvert County Fair –– Annually at the Calvert County Fair, the district sets up a table/booth in the Farm/Ag building. There are various takeaways to draw in the crowd. Landowners are encouraged to stop by and chat with some of our technical staff. Children and adults alike have a good time visiting the booth and playing Conservation Trivia to win a prestigious prize such as a rain gauge, thermometer, and more. Thousands of visitors frequent the fair. It is always a great event!
Envirothon — Calvert SCD approached CHESPAX in 1991 about organizing an Envirothon competition in Calvert County. The same year, four Calvert County high schools participated in the competition. It is a challenging natural resources competition for teens about the outdoors and environment. Students learn, study, and train for the competition all year. Students compete in categories of Soils, Aquatics, Wildlife, Forestry, and a miscellaneous category that changes from year to year. Envirothon gives students exposure to careers in natural resources while making valuable connections. The winning team will travel to the Maryland State Envirothon. The winning team at the state competition will advance to the National Envirothon competition.
MD 5-Star — The Maryland 5-Star is an Eventing sport in which each horse and rider compete in Dressage, Cross Country, and Stadium jumping over the course of the four-day event. The event is rated as 5-stars for it’s difficulty (Olympic Eventing is rated 3-Stars. More stars equals more challenging.) Maryland Department of Agriculture, Office of Resource Conservation, has operated an outreach booth at this event for the last few years and looks forward to hosting many more. Southern Maryland regional staff educate landowners on programs and resources available to them via their local Soil Conservation District. The team provides informative pamphlets, brochures, and items like rain gauges, stickers, coasters, and the chance to win an MDA logo saddle pad. Every county in Maryland has a Soil Conservation District.