Montgomery Parks celebrates future new classroom at Black Hill Regional Park

Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs will host a virtual talk and silent auction on Friday, November 18, 2022, at 6 p.m. to support the development of the new, self-sustaining classroom  

WHEATON, Md. — Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and The Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs will host a virtual talk and silent auction on November 18, 2022, from 6 – 8 p.m. to celebrate and support the future development of Black Hill Regional Park’s new, sustainable classroom. The silent auction takes place through November 19 and will be available on the Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs website.  

“To celebrate the construction of the new SEED classroom, we have the privilege of hosting Barbara Deutsch as our featured guest speaker, a renowned authority and well-known advocate for a vast array of sustainability issues,” said Monika Carter Laws, Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs member.  

Here is what’s happening:  

Starting at 6 p.m. on Nov. 18, the Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs will host its annual meeting via Zoom. Participants must register. The meeting is open to all who are interested.   

• The meeting kicks off with the election of its Board of Directors.  

•  At 6:30 p.m., Barbara Deutsch, CEO of the Landscape Architecture Foundation and Jennifer Scully, Black Hill Visitor Center and Nature Programs manager will present “Taking a Deep Dive: Building the Bridge with Sustainability Issues Associated with Landscape, Architecture and Gardening.” Scully has helped lead the design, funding and construction of the new SEED classroom.  

About the new Black Hill Regional Park SEED classroom  

The SEED classroom will be a cornerstone of the nature programs at Black Hill Regional Park and will educate and empower students to thrive in a changing climate. SEED stands for Sustainable Education Every Day.   

 The SEED Classroom will be a space for Preschool in the Park, a nature-based preschool, as well as STEM-focused field trips for middle and high school students. The classroom will also be available for private and public events.   

Sustainable materials and systems are left exposed in the classroom, showing students how the building works. The SEED classroom will be net-zero energy use.   

Major SEED classroom features include:   

• Prefabricated self-sustained building structure   
• Solar panels  
• A restroom with a composting toilet   
• A rainwater cistern for water recycling  
• A living wall inside the building using recycled rainwater to nourish plants  
• Large open classroom space and covered deck  
• Real-time data collection to allow students to track the classroom’s energy and water production and usage  

“The Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs have been instrumental in bringing a sustainable classroom to Black Hill Regional Park. Without their support, this simply would not be possible. I look forward to updating our Black Hill community on the progress of construction and our plans for our new facility,” said Jennifer Scully, Black Hill Visitors Center and Nature Programs manager.   

About Montgomery Parks          
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 420 parks. 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         
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), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.  

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