Photo Gallery
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2018 4-H Florida Forest Ecology Contest Winners
Natural History
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
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2015 4-H Florida Forest Ecology Contest Winners
Natural History
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
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2013 4-H Florida 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