2018 National WHEP Competition Dates & Location
July 22-25, 2018
Schoodic Institute
Acadia National Park
Winter Harbor, Maine
Registration Links:
Declaration of Intent
Team/Coaches Registration
National/State Committee Registration
2:30 pm – Contestants start to arrive
3:00 – 5:00 pm – Registration at Moore Auditorium
6:00 – 7:00 pm – Dinner
7:00 – 8:00 pm – Opening Ceremonies
8:00 – 8:30 pm – Set-up for Share Fair
8:30 – 9:30 pm – Share Fair
9:00 – 9:30 pm – Coaches meeting
7:00 – 8:00 am – Breakfast
8:15 am – Load buses
8:30 am – 3:00 pm – Education/Fun Day Activities *Box lunch provided
3:00 – 5:00 pm – Free time
5:00 – 6:00 pm – Team Pictures
6:00 – 7:30 pm – Dinner
7:00 – 8:00 am – Breakfast
8:00 am – Coaches/chaperones load buses; Return at 4:30pm * Lunch will be provided
8:15 am – Load buses
8:30 am – 12:00 pm – Contest at field sites – WMPs, Management Plan
12:00 – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 – 3:30 pm – Contest on-site – Wildlife Challenge, Oral Reasons
6:00 – 7:00 pm – Dinner
7:00 – 8:00 pm – Awards Ceremony
8:30pm – 10:00 pm – Campfire
7:00 – 8:00 am – Breakfast
9:00 am – Departure
Registration for the 2018 Wildlife Habitat Education Program National Contest is now open. If you are planning to compete in the 2018 WHEP contest, please fill out the declaration of intent above by June 1st. Teams and Coaches can register for the event by using the Team/Coaches Registration link right. Costs associated with the contest, including room and board, will be $200 per person (not including travel). Teams and Coaches must be registered by July 1st.
NOTE: Currently, registration for the contest and the awards banquet is limited to the 4 team members and 2 coaches. Anyone else traveling with the team will be required to stay off site. Additional banquet tickets may be available once we determine the number of teams and coaches participating in the event.
The WHEP contest is conducted over 1 full day and entails 3 individual events and 1 team events. Wildlife Challenge– participants compete as individuals to identify wildlife species using photos, specimens, parts of specimens or calls. Participants are then tested on their knowledge of topics ranging from wildlife habitat for select species to management practices that benefit wildlife.
Wildlife Management Practices – participants compete as individuals and are taken to an outdoor site with defined boundaries and are asked to evaluate the quality of habitat for select wildlife species. Based on each participant’s site evaluation, he/she is asked to recommend wildlife management practices that will benefit each select wildlife species.
Written Wildlife Management Plan – participants compete as a team to write a 2-page management plan for an outdoor site with defined boundaries that meets objectives established in a field conditions sheet provided to each team.
Oral Defense of Written Plan – although each team member completes this activity individually, their individual score counts toward the final team score for the written plan. Each individual team member appears before a panel of 2-3 judges and answers questions over a 5-minute period about their written plan, as well as general wildlife questions.
