AUBURN – The Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District coordinated this year’s Western Maine Regional Envirothon. Fourteen teams of high school students participated in the competition on May 16 at the Auburn Land Lab. Sponsors provided more than $100 in cash or donated time or items.

“The teams were tested in their knowledge of aquatics, wildlife, soils, forestry and farmland preservation. Some of the tests required hands-on skills, and the teams had to give an oral presentation for part of the farmland preservation test,” said Paul Carmichael, soil conservation technician with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and member of the planning team coordinating the event.

Other planning team members were Phoebe Hardesty and Jane Heikkinen, employees of the conservation district, and Tandra Pilgrim, employee with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Natural resource specialists from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, soil and water conservation districts, Maine Forestry Service, Maine Department of Inland Fish and Wildlife, Maine Department of Agriculture and Stanton Bird Club contributed their expertise in writing the exams, overseeing the exam stations and correcting the teams tests.

Team 2 from Messalonskee High School of Oakland won first place with a score of 382 points. The team went on to the state competition and placed third.

Team members Zach Von Hassen, Adam Perron, Kelly Coyne, Ashley Tabor and Shawn Pride of Lake Region High School in Naples came in second with 367.5 points.

Jenny Lord, Sara DeMillo, Justin Merrill, Joel Ouellette and Rachel Gagnon fought to give Team 1 of Jay High School third with 352.5 points.