More than 1,600 trees are being planted at the park as part of a reforestation effort.
WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks is hosting a celebration to mark the dedication and opening of Royce Hanson Conservation Park at Broad Run on Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 1 – 3 p.m. The 473-acre park, located at 21820 Club Hollow Road in Poolesville, Maryland, is part of Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. The park is dedicated to Dr. Royce Hanson, former chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board, and a lifelong advocate for environmental stewardship and smart growth.
The dedication ceremony is open to the public and will include remarks from community leaders, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and guided walks highlighting the park’s natural features and conservation initiatives. The Montgomery Countryside Alliance will present its annual Royce Hanson Award.
“Dr. Hanson’s visionary leadership laid the foundation for the Agricultural Reserve and shaped what we now know as Montgomery County,” said Miti Figueredo, director of Montgomery Parks. “It is only fitting that this remarkable park, dedicated to conservation and resource-based recreation, will bear his name.”
“I am deeply grateful for the honor of being associated with a park that is more than legacy,” said Dr. Royce Hanson. “This beautiful park conserves forests, waters, examples of the Agricultural Reserve’s working landscape, and its rich cultural history. The park is also a living laboratory for today’s students to learn and marvel at the wonders of nature and prepare to become tomorrow’s stewards of the land. For an old teacher, it is a learning land.”
As part of the redevelopment and dedication of the park, a new partnership has been established with Poolesville High School’s Global Ecology Program, in which students will use the park as an outdoor laboratory/classroom and research hub for hands-on environmental learning.
“We are excited about this partnership,” said Erin Binns, head of house for the Global Ecology Program at Poolesville High School. “Royce Hanson Conservation Park is a fantastic resource for the community, the Global Ecology Program, and all students at Poolesville High School. We envision its use for interpretive day hikes, stream studies, and longer-term research studies on the biodiversity of the area.”
Reforestation at Royce Hanson Conservation Park:
Through the Reforest Montgomery Program, Montgomery Parks and Planning staff are planting hundreds of trees and shrubs at the park to enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and expand the tree canopy coverage. Over the next two years, the team will plant 1,610 trees and 270 shrubs, comprised of 20 native tree species and seven species of shrub. These trees will be sourced primarily from Montgomery Parks’ tree nursery, Pope Farm.
“This reforestation effort specifically targets areas along agricultural drainages and streams to provide a healthier ecosystem and improved water quality in the Broad Run watershed,” said Jacqueline Hoban, senior natural resources specialist at Montgomery Parks. “The reforestation balances the protection of the natural resources on site and the continued function and use of the adjacent agricultural fields, honoring agricultural preservation within the county through the Agriculture Reserve.”
Reforest Montgomery chooses native and near-native species suited to warmer temperatures and varied rainfall. For Royce Hanson Conservation Park, Montgomery Parks, and Reforest Montgomery selected trees like River Birch, Black Gum, and Swamp White Oak that thrive in riparian areas. These plantings improve water and air quality for both park visitors and local wildlife.
Ongoing natural resources stewardship in the park will include additional reforestation in stream buffers and other environmentally sensitive areas, meadow management, and non-native invasive species management. The park conserves hundreds of acres of high-quality natural areas and forest interior, 1.25 miles of mainstem Broad Run, and extensive complexes of forested wetlands. It features scenic landscapes, five miles of trails, and two fishing ponds, serving as a haven for nature enthusiasts.
Learn more about Reforest Montgomery’s Park reforestation projects.
Moving Forward:
The Royce Hanson Conservation Park at Broad Run will feature a variety of new amenities and programs in the future, dependent upon funding and resources. New features and initiatives will include interpretive signage and programming, support for global ecology and historical research programs, and student and faculty engagement opportunities. For more information about these future efforts and how to support them, visit the Montgomery Parks Foundation website.
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 414 parks. Montgomery Parks is focused on promoting physical activity, social connectivity, and environmental stewardship, especially in diverse and urbanizing areas, with an emphasis on teens, working-age adults, and seniors. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. MontgomeryParks.org
Accessibility at Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice/TTY), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Program Access for more information.
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