The 2019 Knott County Community assessment identified, “Less illegal dumping and littering” as a top 10 priority for our county.  The Knott County Extension Council pinpointed environmental concerns such as water quality and littering a programmatic need.

In response to these community issues, Knott Co 4-H takes part annually in an educational field day. A collaborative effort with Army Core of Engineers, KDFWR, National Weather Service, Dept of Forestry, Department of Wildlife, Ky State Police, and UK Cooperative Extension provides an opportunity for 4^th and 5^th grades county wide.

Knott Co 4-H lesson objectives were; understanding a watershed, connection of waterways, how various pollutants effect water quality, litter control, and erosion prevention. The students discuss the benefits of recycling, benefits of buffer zones for erosion prevention and water pollution solutions.   Then using an Enviro-scape model, youth investigate sources of pollution, discuss recycling opportunities and demonstrate erosion prevention techniques on-site. This year’s 4-H program reached 125 youth across the county.