Commissioner Rick Sullivan

Commissioner, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)

View Commissioner Sullivan's Bio

Last week, I went to DCR’s Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle, where I had the privilege of sitting on the panel of judges for Massachusetts’ Envirothon. I couldn’t think of a more fitting place as the venue for this competition than Great Brook Farm.

Around 250 high school students from about 40 public and private schools came out to compete in the Canon (North American) Envirothon by showcasing their environmental knowledge.

The participating teams competed in a number of “ecostations” – or categories – comprised of forestry, wildlife, soils, and aquatics, and were required to deliver 15-minute presentations on wetlands protection. Congratulations to this year’s winner of the day-long contest: Lexington High School. Coming in a close second was Monson’s Environmental Action Team.

Students like the ones who participated in this competition are our environmental leaders of tomorrow. They are our future scientists, policymakers, teachers, and innovators who will face and solve the challenges of climate change, sustainable development, and preservation of open space. I encourage everyone to support educational efforts such as this to inspire and engage students in environmental issues.

Great job, everyone!