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Florida 4-H Forest Ecology

Florida 4-H Forest Ecology

Past Winners

A big congratulations to the Marion County 4-H team for coming in 1st place at the 2023 National 4-H Forestry Invitational in West Virginia! Florida placed first among eleven states that competed in the National 4-H Forestry Invitational from July 23 through July 27, 2023. 

National 4-H Forestry Invitational News Release: Florida Team Earns Top Honors at National 4-H Forestry Invitational

  • 2024 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2024 FLORIDA 4-H FOREST ECOLOGY CONTEST WINNERS!

    Junior Division 

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: Jada F., Sumter County
    • 2nd Place: Joycelynn G., Leon County
    • 3rd Place: Addalynn U., Marion County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Sumter County - Addilyn C., Jada F., Caroline C.
    • 2nd Place: Marion County - Addalynn U., Callie Rae C., Jax A., Joshua F.
    • 3rd Place: Sumter County - Eden W., Ava B., Lily T.

    Intermediate Division 

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: William P., Alachua County
    • 2nd Place: Isabella W., Okaloosa County
    • 3rd Place: Madison W., Marion County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Marion County - Caleb F., Forest D., Jacob M., Madison W.
    • 2nd Place: Okaloosa County - Isabella W., Kaden W., Kayleigh T.
    • 3rd Place: Pinellas County - Charles W., Charlotte W., Christian G., Ellis G.

    Senior Division

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: Jocelyn W., Pinellas County
    • 2nd Place: Ada P., Marion County
    • 3rd Place: Helena P., St. Johns County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Marion County - Ada P., Cora T., Kylie G., Lane T.
    • 2nd Place: Pinellas County - Annalise W., Jocelyn W., Maleah G., Westley W.
    • 3rd Place: Duval County - Kaela W., Mina S., Skye B., Ziva P.
  • 2023 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2023 FLORIDA 4-H FOREST ECOLOGY CONTEST WINNERS!

    Junior Division 

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: Dominic G., Jefferson County
    • 2nd Place: Finn F., Jefferson County
    • 3rd Place: Charles W., Pinellas County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Pinellas County - Charles W., Margaret T., Charlotte W.
    • 2nd Place: Jefferson County - Dominic G., Finn F., Elizabeth P.
    • 3rd Place: Marion County - Addalynn U., Caleb F., Callie Rae C.

    Intermediate Division 

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: William P., Alachua County
    • 2nd Place: Gabriella G., Jefferson County
    • 3rd Place: Victoria T., Pinellas County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Marion County - Ada P., Forest D., Madison W.
    • 2nd Place: Pinellas County - Victoria T., Charlotte T., Annalise W.
    • 3rd Place: Jefferson County - Gabriella G., Adolai S., Jake P.

    Senior Division

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: Lydia S., Marion County
    • 2nd Place: Caroline C., Marion County
    • 3rd Place: Jeramiah C., Marion County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Marion County - Abree P., Caroline C., Lydia S., Jeremiah C.
    • 2nd Place: Pinellas County - Christian H., Jocelyn W., Emmerson R., Maleah G.
    • 3rd Place: Leon County - Sasha K., Sophia L., Tabitha H.
  • 2022 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2022 FLORIDA 4-H FOREST ECOLOGY CONTEST WINNERS!

    Junior Division 

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: Caleb E., Alachua County
    • 2nd Place: Olivia W., Okeechobee County
    • 3rd Place: Charlotte W., Pinellas County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Pinellas County - Charles W., Charlotte T., Margaret T., Charlotte W.
    • 2nd Place: Marion County - Addalyn U., Jacob M., Madison W.
    • 3rd Place: Leon County - Joycelynn G., Lila S., Maribel K., Samuel L.

    Intermediate Division 

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: Jeremiah C., Marion County
    • 2nd Place: Mathias E., Alachua County
    • 3rd Place: Emmerson R., Pinellas County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Marion County - Jeremiah C., Cora T., Ada P., Joshua M.
    • 2nd Place: Alachua County - Analy E., Layla B., Mathias E., William P.
    • 3rd Place: Pinellas County - Victoria T., Wesley W., Wyatt G., Annalise W.

    Senior Division

    Individuals

    • 1st Place: Abigail P., Alachua County
    • 2nd Place: Lydia S., Marion County
    • 3rd Place: Miriam W., Pinellas County

    Teams

    • 1st Place: Alachua County - Benjamin W., Carolyn W., Kaity E., Abigail P.
    • 2nd Place: Marion County - Abree P., Caroline C., Lane T., Lydia S.
    • 3rd Place: Pinellas County - Christian H., Jocelyn W., Miriam W.
  • 2021 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    Congratulations to the 2021 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners!

    Junior Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: William, Alachua County
    • 2nd Place: Caleb/Jude, Alachua County
    • 3rd Place: Madison, Marion County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Pinellas County-Margaret, Charlotte, & Charlotte
    • 2nd Place: Pinellas County-Caleb, Charles, & Ellis

    Intermediate Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: Emmerson, Pinellas County
    • 2nd Place: Skye, Duval County
    • 3rd Place: Mathias, Alachua County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Pinellas County-Annalise, Emmerson, & Victoria
    • 2nd Place: Marion County-Ada, Cora, Jeremiah, & Lane
    • 3rd Place: Pinellas County-Maleah, Wesley, & Wyatt

    Senior Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: Carolyn, Alachua County
    • 2nd Place: Marshall, St. Johns County
    • 3rd Place: Miriam, Pinellas County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Marion County-Abree, Ashtyn, Marshall, & William
    • 2nd Place: Pinellas County-Anastasia, Jocelyn, & Miriam
    • 3rd Place: St. Johns County-Marshall, Andrew, & Brandon

  • 2020 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    Congratulations to the 2020 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners!

    Junior Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: Gabriella, Leon County
    • 2nd Place: William, Alachua County
    • 3rd Place: Felix, Leon County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Leon County-Gabriella, Felix, & Ethan
    • 2nd Place: Pinellas County-Ellis, Finley, Charlotte, & Victoria
    • 3rd Place: Hendry County-Garnett, Nathan, & Nathan

    Intermediate Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: Emmerson, Pinellas County
    • 2nd Place: Carolyn, Alachua County
    • 3rd Place: Miles, Leon County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Leon County-Miles, Ander, & Adeline
    • 2nd Place: Alachua County-Abigail, Carolyn, & Layla
    • 3rd Place: Pinellas County-Lochlainn, Maleah, Wyatt, & Emmerson
    • Highest Scoring NEW Intermediate Team: Duval County-Augustin, Kaylee, Skye, & Spencer

    Senior Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: Breighton, Pinellas County
    • 2nd Place: Sophia, Leon County
    • 3rd Place: Miriam, Pinellas County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Pinellas County-Anastasia, Breighton, & Miriam
    • 2nd Place: St. Johns County-Annika, Emett, & Marshall
    • Highest Scoring NEW Senior Team: Escambia County-Ava, Brayden, & Katherine
  • 2019 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    Congratulations to the 2019 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners!

    Junior Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: Emmerson, Pinellas County
    • 2nd Place: Lillian, Polk County
    • 3rd Place: Gabriella, Leon County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Pinellas County-Emmerson, Hayden, Wesley, & Wyatt
    • 2nd Place: Marion County-Joshua, Jeremiah, Cora, & Ada
    • 3rd Place: Leon County-Joseph, Leah, Felix, & Gabriella

    Intermediate Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: Miles, Leon County
    • 2nd Place: Caroline, Marion County
    • 3rd Place: Kaity, Alachua County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Leon County-Laura, Miles, Fiona, & Daniel
    • 2nd Place: Alachua County-Benjamin, Carolyn, Kaity, & Tupelo
    • 3rd Place: Marion County-Marshall, William, Caroline, & Abree
    • Highest scoring new county team: Hendry County

    Senior Division

    Individual

    • 1st Place: Alexander, Polk County
    • 2nd Place: Anastasia, Pinellas County & Sophia, Leon County
    • 3rd Place: Michaela, Polk County

    Team

    • 1st Place: Polk County-Alexander, Hunter, Makayla, & Michaela
  • 2018 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    Natural History

    youth gathered on the stairs at the 2018 contest

    Photo credit: Larry Korhnak, University of Florida

    The Florida State 4-H Forest Ecology Contest took place April 14, 2018 at the Austin Cary Forest between Gainesville and Waldo, Florida. More than 70 youth, parents, and coaches gathered for this annual test of forest ecology knowledge and skill.

    Groups of contestants from six counties rotated through stations as they identified trees, plants, wildlife, and insect or disease specimens; answered questions about forest ecology and management; measured tree height and wood volume; interpreted map symbols; and followed a compass course. Teams of seniors continued with a Quiz Bowl competition on forest management. Volunteers from the Florida Forest Service, the US Forest Service, and the School of Forest Resources and Conservation were on hand to coordinate stations, answer questions, and teach skills.

    Congratulations to the 2018 winners!

    The highest individual scoring Juniors were:

    • First Place went to Emmerson Reed from Pinellas County
    • Second Place went to Jeremiah Caswell from Marion County
    • Third Place went to Maleah Godfrey from Pinellas County

    The highest scoring Junior teams were:

    • First Place went to Ava McCoy, Emmerson Reed, and Maleah Godfrey from Pinellas County
    • Second Place went to Elijah Slay, Genevieve Gillespie, Joseph Gillespie, and Leah Enfinger from Leon County
    • Third Place went to Ada Perryman, Clayton Cassidy, Jeremiah Caswell and Joshua Mitchell from Marion County

    The highest individual scoring Intermediate kids were:

    • First Place went to Breighton Reed from Pinellas County
    • Second Place went to Isaiah Caswell from Marion County
    • Third Place went to Sophia Laver Leon County

    The highest scoring Intermediate teams were:

    • First Place went to Daniel Enfinger, Fiona Lowery, Miles Gillespie and Sophia Laver from Leon County
    • Second Place went to Benjamin Wolking, Carolyn Wolking, Kaitlyn Eubanks and Tupelo Hostetler from Alachua County
    • Third Place went to Abree Perryman, Caroline Cassidy, Isaiah Caswell and Marshall Foster from Marion County

    The highest individual scoring Seniors were:

    • First Place went to Jonathan Vonesh from Alachua County
    • Second Place went to Anna Hooks from Alachua County
    • Third Place went to William Eubanks from Alachua County
    • Honorable mention for Taylor Dykes from Alachua County who had the highest score. He was the winner last year and was thus unable to place.

    The highest scoring Senior teams were:

    • First Place went to Anna Hooks, Jonathan Vonesh, Taylor Dykes and William Eubanks from Alachua County
    • Second Place went to Alexander Thomas, Elise Barfield and Hunter Jernigan from Polk County

    The highest scoring NEW team was Hendry County’s Junior team: Brooke Black, Jackson White, Pearl Gonzalez, Teagon Dobson

    Highest scoring individual from a NEW county was Megan Hughes from Volusia County

  • 2015 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    Natural History

    youth gathered on the stairs at the 2018 contest

    Photo credit: Larry Korhnak, University of Florida

    The Florida State 4-H Forest Ecology Contest took place April 18, 2015 at the Austin Cary Forest between Gainesville and Waldo, Florida. More than 70 youth, parents, and coaches gathered for this annual test of forest ecology knowledge and skill.

    Groups of contestants from six counties rotated through stations as they identified trees, plants, wildlife, and insect or disease specimens; answered questions about forest ecology and management; measured tree height and wood volume; interpreted map symbols; and followed a compass course. Teams of seniors continued with a Quiz Bowl competition on forest management. Volunteers from the Florida Forest Service, the US Forest Service, and the School of Forest Resources and Conservation were on hand to coordinate stations, answer questions, and teach skills.

    See Photos from the 2015 4-H Florida Forest Ecology Contest


    Lake County Juniors took home a ribbon for the highest scoring team from a county new to the competition: Riley Brew, Sosa Lopez, Ricky Sigler, and Tyler Swann.

    Congratulations to the following individuals who had the highest scores in their age categories:

    • First Place Junior Individual: Isabel Dempsey of Marion County
    • Second Place Junior Individual: Kailey Samuel of Marion County
    • Third Place Junior Individual: Gwyneth Lynch of Marion County
    • First Place Intermediate Individual: Cayla Smith of St. Johns County
    • Second Place Intermediate Individual: Elise Barfield of Polk County
    • Third Place Intermediate Individual: Jonathan Vonesh of Alachua County
    • First Place Senior Individual: Timothy Caswell of Marion County
    • Second Place Senior Individual: Jeremy Smith of St. Johns County
    • Third Place Senior Individual: Henry Keating of St. Johns county

    The following individuals represented their counties with winning team scores:

    • First Place Junior Team: Isaiah Caswell, Grace Force, Gwyneth Lynch, and Kailey Samuel of Marion County
    • Second Place Junior Team: Kaitlyn Eubanks, Easy Sorel, Sunny Sorel, and Benjamin Wolking of Alachua County
    • Third Place Junior Team: Isabel Dempsey, Marshall Foster, Hannah Popson, and Breely Yeomans of Marion County
    • First Place Intermediate Team: Alexa Dinges, Cameron Kerr, and Cassidy Rountree of Suwannee County
    • Second Place Intermediate Team: Caleb Arsenault, Corey Banks, Harrison Keating, and Cayla Smith of St. Johns County
    • Third Place Intermediate Team: Rhianna Brown, Taylor Dykes, William Eubanks, and Jonathan Vonesh of Alachua County
    • First Place Senior Team: Timothy Caswell, Lydia Force, Mary Force, and Deanna Foster of Marion County
    • Second Place Senior Team: Henry Keating, Jeremy Smith, and Robert Wibbing of St. Johns County
  • 2013 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    Congratulations to the winners of the 2013 4-H Forest Ecology Contest !

    At each level (Junior, Intermediate, and Senior) there are three individual winners and three team winners. This year the winning Senior team will represent Florida at the National Forestry Invitational in West Virginia, and the highest scoring individual will receive a scholarship to SFRC, if s/he chooses to attend. All participants received a Tree Identification guide produced by the Florida Forest Service. Each coach received a new Forest Pest and Tree Disease deck of flashcards.

    See Photos from the 2013 4-H Florida Forest Ecology Contest


    Putnam and Suwannee Counties took home ribbons for having new high scoring teams. The rest of the winners are: 

    At the Junior level: Ages 8-10

    • First place Individual – Jonathan Vonesh from Alachua County
    • Second place Individual – Alexander Thomas from Polk County
    • Third place Individual – Kaylee Coon from Alachua County
    • First place team: From Alachua County: Jonathan Vonesh, Kaylee Coon, Will Eubanks, and Anna Hooks
    • Second place team: From Alachua County: Rhianna Brown, Mary Coon, Jack Crow, and Sunny Sorel
    • Third place team: From Marion County: Grace Force, Cyrus Gibson, Gwyn Lynch, and Elizabeth Reedy

    At the Intermediate level: Ages 11-13

    • First place Individual – Jeremy Smith from St Johns
    • Second place Individual – Gabriella Thomas from Polk
    • Third place Individual – Rachel Ray from Marion
    • First place team: From St Johns County: Alyssa Howard, Jeremy Smith, Garrett Howard, Cayla Smith
    • Second place team: From Alachua County: Savannah Banner, Adalyn Coon, McKenzie Douglas, Sophie Wilber
    • Third place team: From Polk County: Gabriella Thomas, Robert Grode, Soria Logan

    At the Senior level: Ages 14-18

    • First place Individual – Amber Thomas from Polk County
    • Second place Individual – Rachel Force from Marion County
    • Third place Individual – Josef Adamiak from Marion
    • First place team: From Marion: Josef Adamiak, Mark Force, Rachel Force, Luke Ray
  • 2012 Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest Winners

    Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 4-H Forest Ecology Contest !

    At each level (Junior, Intermediate, and Senior) there are three individual winners and three team winners. This year the winning Senior team will represent Florida at the National Forestry Invitational in West Virginia, and the highest scoring individual will receive a scholarship to SFRC, if s/he chooses to attend. All participants received a Tree Identification guide produced by the Florida Forest Service. Each coach received a new Forest Pest and Tree Disease deck of flashcards.

    See Photos from the 2012 4-H Florida Forest Ecology Contest


    Clay and Alachua Counties took home ribbons for having new high scoring teams. The rest of the winners are:

    At the Junior level: Ages 8-10

    • First place Individual – Sean Woods from Clay County
    • Second place Individual – Elise Barfield from Polk County
    • Third place Individual – Harrison Keating from St Johns County
    • First place team: From Clay County: Noah Fritz, Emett Peterson, Sean Woods
    •  Second place team: From St Johns County: Harrison Keating, Cayla Smith, Alyssa Howard
    • Third place team: From Alachua County: Will Eubanks, Anna Hooks, Jonathan Vonesh

    At the Intermediate level: Ages 11-13

    • First place Individual – Gabriella Thomas from Polk
    • Second place Individual –Henry Keating from St Johns
    • Third place Individual – Sada Barfield from Polk
    • First place team: From St Johns County: Henry Keating, Jeremy Smith, Garrett Howard, Miguel Bermeo
    •  Second place team: From Polk County: Gabriella Thomas, Sada Barfield, Soria Logan
    • Third place team: From Clay County: Emmalani Peterson, Christian Peterson, Austin Woods

    At the Senior level: Ages 14-18

    • First place Individual – Mark Force from Marion County
    • Second place Individual – Amber Thomas from Polk County
    • Third place Individual – Austin Davis from Flagler
    • First place team: From St Johns: Joseph Corry, Jared Smith, Cady Smith, Mark Bradley
    • Second place team: From Flagler: Austin Davis, Hannah Welch, Eddie Brock, Miranda Kuleski
    • Third place team: from Alachua County: Victoria Banner, Megan Whitehurst, Malerie Whitehurst