Testing at the Canon Envirothon is not only designed to increase each student's level of environmental knowledge, but also encourages the development of skills needed to analyze and apply information. Canon Envirothon test questions involve much more than rote memorization. They often incorporate questions that involve hands-on skills and encourage students to apply their knowledge of ecology and natural resource management to site-specific problems.

The sample questions contained in the following section of this site are actual questions used in recent Envirothon competitions. While many questions may be site-specific, the tests should provide you with a general indication of what to expect at the Canon Envirothon.

Forestry Sample Test Questions:

1. Identify the following points on the tree cookie cross section. Provide the correct name of each part and its function.

2. Forests are comprised of coniferous and deciduous trees. Please define each term and give two examples of these tree types/classifications.

3. List five environmental benefits from trees.

4. Wood constitutes an important part of the lives of people worldwide. In the United States alone, each individual (man, woman or child) uses nearly 2,000 pounds of wood products per year. Please list four products derived from each of the following tree components:

   A. Paper/Pulp
   B. Cellulose
   C. Bark
   D. Gums and Resins

5. Trees are also important in providing food for humans and wildlife. Please list five foods that are produced by trees.

6. Ecological succession is the gradual change in plant and animal communities over time. Primary and secondary succession is apparent in Massachusetts' forests. In what state of succession is this forest? Explain how you made that assessment.

7. In a secondary succession, identify the plant/tree species in each stage (list two examples) and offer wildlife examples that are dependent upon this stage (list two examples).

8. Tree species have a complex set of habitat requirements that foresters often call the "Four Factors of Site" (i.e., climate, location, soil composition and animal interactions). Please list these requirements for three of the five marked species.

9. The evolution of a forest ecosystem is affected by human and natural factors. Please identify which of the following are natural factors affecting succession:

  A. Lightning 
  B. Farming
  C. Wind Disease
  D. Blights
  E. Logging 
  F. Volcanic Eruption
  G. Road Building 
  H. Arson

10. The forest habitat can be symbiotic or competitive. Symbiotic - forming a relationship in which one organism or both can benefit from the actions or characteristics of the other. Competitive - where one organism thrives at the expense of another. Offer two examples of each relationship relative to the site before you.

11. Forest ecology is the study of the complex interactions between the organic and inorganic elements of a forest ecosystem. Define/explain organic and inorganic and provide two examples of each as they relate to the forest ecosystem.

12. What role does the nutrient cycle play in the forest ecosystem?

13. Explain photosynthesis as it relates to the life cycle of a tree? (Use a diagram and language to complete your answer)

14. Identify the four life zones in forest stratification. Define them and offer wildlife examples.

15. Using the information provided in the forest resources documents, what would provide a greater financial return to the landowner if this area were harvested? Explain your answer.

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