Wildlife identification is one of the toughest parts of the Envirothon test.

Students are given multiple resources, such as field guides, calculators, and state hunting booklets, and are able to collaborate as a team to complete the Envirothon test.

As it has done every year since 1991, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge has assisted area schools in the 2007 "Envirothon," an environmental competition for high school students that encompasses knowledge of wildlife, forestry, soils, aquatics, and public speaking. The Envirothon began as the "Environmental Olympics" in 1979, and Dorchester County, in which Blackwater NWR is located, began their competition in 1991. Winning county teams move up to compete in the State and National levels. Because of increasing strains on school resources, interest in the competition waned in the early part of the millennia. Three years ago, it was decided to hold the Envirothon at a "regional" level, with all the schools of Maryland's Eastern Shore invited to a single competition. This format has increased a sense of competition and achievement among students, and interest by students and schools in the Envirothon is once again on the rise.

At least one formal training session for all teams is held before the competition. Blackwater NWR hosted 60 participating students for the training session in Wildlife and Forestry in April 2007.  Park Ranger Tom Miller led the Wildlife training at the refuge's visitor center, discussing wildlife identification and classification, while resource personnel from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) held training sessions on deer, turkey, and wildlife management. Forestry training was also presented by Maryland DNR foresters, and took place at the refuge's Marsh Edge Trail.

The Envirothon competition was held on May 1, 2007 at the University of Maryland's Horn Point Laboratory near Cambridge, MD. Ranger Miller prepared the wildlife portion of the exam this year, and also proctored the exam along with visitor services specialist Cindy Heffley of Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge. Students had to complete a written test, which included several types of questions, wildlife mathematics, use of field guides, sexing and aging from wildlife artifacts, and wildlife identification. Fourteen teams of 4 or 5 students representing five counties from Maryland's Eastern Shore competed, with a team from Somerset County placing first in the competition.