Halifax County residents, please contact the Halifax SWCD office for more information about any of the opportunities below.
Natural Resource Conservation Education
- Assistance in obtaining workbooks and written information to be passed out to students.
- Conduct classroom visits on various natural resource topics such as:
- Water Quality Issues
- Watersheds
- Conservation Practices
- Wildlife
- Erosion and Sediment Control and Storm-Water Management Procedures
- Curriculum Provided by Project Learning Tree
- Curriculum Provided by Project Wet and Project Wild and more
Melissa Waller – Education and Outreach Specialist
educationspecialist@halifaxswcd.org
(434)548-1697
Dominion Envirothon
The Dominion Envirothon is a statewide high school competition consisting of five “in-the-field” test stations – soils, wildlife, aquatics, forestry and a current environmental issue – where teams complete both written and hands-on exercises. Regional, state, and national Envirothon competitions are held each year. Congratulations to our 2023 team! They placed first in the Area V competition, and competed at the state contest. (Visit the VASWCD Dominion Envirothon Site or the National Envirothon Site)
Poster Contest
Each year the Halifax SWCD sponsors a Conservation Poster Contest that is available to kindergarten through twelfth grade students and focuses on soil, water, and natural resource issues. The local poster contest coincides with state and national themes each year and winning entries may progress on to state and national contests for judging. Contact us if you would like for us to do a lesson, and get your students started on their own poster. This year’s theme is “May The Forest Be With You Always”. VASWCD Poster Contest Site
2019 Winners
Wildlife Food Plot Contest
The Halifax SWCD provides a seed mix to interested youth to participate in a wildlife food plot contest each year. Food plots are judged and awards are given in two categories: junior (ages 8-12) and senior (ages 13-18).
Watershed Adventure Camp
Halifax SWCD, Southside SWCD, and Lake Country SWCD, thru a partnership with the Division of State Parks, sponsor an annual Watershed Adventure Camp. This weeklong, day-camp, is for currently enrolled 4th and 5th graders and provides hands-on learning activities covering an array of environmental education topics. Camp participants are chosen through an application process and up to 10 participants may be accepted from Halifax County.
Halifax SWCD Youth Conservation Camp
Every spring the Halifax SWCD hosts an annual Youth Conservation Camp. This one-day camp is for 6th graders in Halifax County and provides participants the opportunity to learn about topics such as: soils, water, wildlife, forestry, pollination, plant identification, and other natural resources topics.
VA Youth Conservation Camp
This week-long camp, for currently enrolled Virginia high school students, is held at Virginia Tech each July and is coordinated by the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The camp includes hands-on instruction in water quality monitoring, conservation techniques, and technology demonstrations as well as field trips for instruction on soil, forestry, wildlife, and how land use relates to water quality and impacts on aquatic habitats. Click here to apply to attend the 2023 camp 2023 Camper Application_VASWCD
Scholarships
2024 scholarship recipient, Justin Pool.
Halifax SWCD awards $1,500 college scholarships. Halifax SWCD Memorial Scholarship and J. T. Burton Natural Resource Educational Scholarships. These local scholarships are eligible for high school seniors as well current college students. Additionally, one of the scholarship recipients is also eligible to be considered for one of four statewide college scholarships that are awarded annually by the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Educational Foundation.