2024 Conservation Poster Contest Theme
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You will want to learn all you can about the important role forests play in your everyday life. Forests cover nearly a third of all land on Earth, providing vital organic infrastructure for some of the planet's densest, most diverse collections of life. They support countless species, including our own, yet we often seem oblivious of that. Humans now clear millions of acres from natural forests every year, especially in the tropics, letting deforestation threaten some of Earth's most valuable ecosystems. Have you ever heard the saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees?” There is a lot of truth to that statement because when we look at a forest we tend to see only trees because they dominate the scene, but they don’t dominate when it comes to the number of species. There are hundreds of thousands of species of plants and animals in a single forest ecosystem. More than you can imagine... plants, mosses, fungi, animals, insects and millions of micro-organisms.
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The New Jersey Conservation Poster Contest is open to all students in grades 2-12 and students compete in grade categories. Local Soil Conservation District prizes may also be awarded!
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The annual National Conservation Poster Contest provides students in second through twelfth grade an opportunity to convey their thoughts about soil, water and related natural resource issues through art. It also highlights the educational outreach efforts of conservation districts and their state conservation associations, auxiliaries and agencies. The poster contest theme follows the annual Stewardship Theme.
The NJ Conservation Poster Contest is co-sponsored by:
Each year, the poster contest starts at the district level. It is important to check with your local district to verify participation and local deadlines before creating your poster. Individuals and teachers with questions regarding district contests should contact their local Soil Conservation District (SCD). District winners advance to the state level. For questions regarding state competitions, districts should contact their state association. Finally, state winners advance to the National Contest. National winners are recognized each year at the NACD Annual Meeting.
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2024 NJ Poster Contest Finalists2024 Poster Contest Theme
"May the Forest Be With You Always" |
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Cash Prizes!
Cash prizes for the NJ Statewide competition are awarded by the NJ Association of Conservation Districts |
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $50 3rd Place: $25 |
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Did You Know...
- Forests are home to over 80 percent of land animals and plants and cover 31 percent of the world’s total land area.
- A tree can sequester up to 150 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year.
- Trees are important for creating sustainable cities: in urban areas, they can cool the air by up to 8 degrees, reducing air conditioning needs by 30 percent.
- More than 25 percent of the medicines we use originate in rainforest plants.
- A large oak tree can transpire 151,000 liters of water in a year.
- More than one third of our biggest cities, including New York, Bogota, Tokyo and Barcelona, get a significant proportion of their high-quality drinking water from protected forests.
- Using wood for construction saves about 40 percent of carbon emissions in comparison to concrete, and about 30 percent in comparison to steel.
- Wood fuel provides 40 percent of today's global renewable energy supply.
Who Can Participate?The Conservation Poster Contest is open to all students in grades 2-12 in public, private, home school and youth groups.
Why Participate?Designing a poster and researching the theme can give you a voice in your community about important conservation issues. Good posters capture people’s attention and deliver stories in a way that everyone can understand. A powerful graphic can inspire people to be concerned about conservation.
Poster EvaluationsPosters will be judged on the following criteria:
Contest Theme must appear in the poster!
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Poster Contest BrochureDownload the NJ Conservation Poster Contest Brochure below for official rules and more information.
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Create an Effective Poster
The National Association of Conservation Districts (www.nacdnet.org) provides links to assist with creating posters. Click on the “Stewardship & Education” tab and find “Poster Contest” under “Contests” for an overview of the theme, and for tips on what makes a good poster and the National Visual Arts Standards.
Resources
You can find resources at your school or public library, science books, local newspapers, nature centers and from the Stewardship & Education section on the NACD website. Get guidance from your teacher or parents to find information on the Internet.
2024 Web Resources
- https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/forest/urbanandcommunity/
- https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/forest/
- https://www.americanforests.org/
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/
- https://forests.org/
- https://njforestry.org/
- https://www.nacdnet.org/about-nacd/what-we-do/forestry/
- https://www.epa.gov/nps/nonpoint-source-forestry
- https://www.forestryimages.org/
- https://www.stateforesters.org/districts/new-jersey/
- https://www.nacdnet.org/conservation-education-hub/curriculum-3/
Contest Sponsors
The NJ Department of Agriculture, the NJ Association of Conservation Districts and your local Soil Conservation District
Recent Conservation Poster Contests
2024: "May the Forest Be With You Always"
2023: "One Water"
2022: "Healthy Soils: Healthy Life"
2021: "Healthy Forests = Healthy Communities"
2020: "Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators?"
2019: "Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper"
2018: "Watersheds: Our Water, Our Home"
2017: "Healthy Soils Are Full of Life"
2016: "We All Need Trees"
2015: "Local Heroes: Your Hardworking Pollinators"
2014: "Dig Deeper: Mysteries in the Soil"
2013: "Where Does Your Water Shed?"
2023: "One Water"
2022: "Healthy Soils: Healthy Life"
2021: "Healthy Forests = Healthy Communities"
2020: "Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators?"
2019: "Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper"
2018: "Watersheds: Our Water, Our Home"
2017: "Healthy Soils Are Full of Life"
2016: "We All Need Trees"
2015: "Local Heroes: Your Hardworking Pollinators"
2014: "Dig Deeper: Mysteries in the Soil"
2013: "Where Does Your Water Shed?"
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NJ Soil Conservation Districts (SCD) are special purpose subdivisions of the State. In cooperation with the State Soil Conservation Committee, they are empowered to conserve and manage soil and water resources and address stormwater, soil erosion and sedimentation problems that result from land disturbance activities. There are 14 Soil Conservation Districts in New Jersey. Click here for a list of NJ Soil Conservation Districts...
In response to growing public concern for water quality, NJ Conservation Districts have become the primary local governmental agencies responsible for monitoring nonpoint sources of pollution associated with agriculture, construction and mining. The technical services of the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service and other resource agencies are made available through the Districts. |
District ResourcesLocal Poster Entries to State Contest
Please include this form with the posters you are submitting by mail or email for the state competition. Click here to download... |