2015 Conservation Poster Contest Rules and Entry Form

Columbia, SC--Richland County K-12 students are invited to submit entries for the 2015 National Conservation Poster Contest to compete for cash prizes at the local, state, and national level.  The 2015 poster contest theme is “Local Heroes—Your Hardworking Pollinators” (with or without the hyphen).  This title must be on the poster for it to be eligible for judging.  Posters are due by April 3, 2015. 

Heroes are admired for their deeds, abilities, or noble qualities.  Why might pollinators be called heroes?  Consider this:  Three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds, and bats to reproduce.  Approximately one in three mouthfuls of food and drink require the presence of a pollinator.  The United States and Canada alone produce more than a hundred different crops that need pollinators, including apples, pumpkins, melons, and strawberries.  Pollinators contribute more than 24 billion dollars to the US economy; honey bees alone account for more than 15 billion dollars.  Mammals from voles to grizzly bears depend on insect-pollinated fruits and seeds, and one-fourth of all birds consume the fruits and seeds of plants that depend on animal pollinators.  Pollinators themselves are an important part of the food web and are eaten by birds, lizards, and spiders. 

The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District invites students to learn more about pollinators and the many ways they support life, then share their knowledge with the world in the form of a poster.  Download the official rules and entry form here:  2015 Poster Contest Rules and Entry Form.  Entries must be submitted by April 3, 2015, to be considered. 

The National Conservation Poster Contest is sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts in cooperation with state and local conservation districts across the country.  For more information, contact Chanda Cooper at cooperc@rcgov.us. 

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Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of state government under the local direction of five-member Boards of Commissioners. In South Carolina, Conservation District boundaries conform to County boundaries.  The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District promotes the wise planning and use of natural resources for the benefit of the citizens of Richland County.

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