Within Maydale Conservation Park, Maydale Nature Classroom offers hands-on natural and cultural history programs for families, schools, and scouts. The facility is situated on a hilltop with a wraparound deck perfect for wildlife viewing, photography, and enjoying the beauty of nature. The deck features outdoor seating, a gazebo, and spotting scopes overlooking a meadow and pond. The Nature Classroom is a programmatic space with no public hours of operation.
The Nature Classroom Offers
- Campfire Ring Rentals
- Children’s Birthday Parties
- Native Plant Sales – Seasonal
- School Programs
- Summer Camps
- Volunteer Opportunities
Maydale Nature Classroom, is the first facility in Montgomery Parks’ system designed for net-zero production.
The classroom is focused on sustainability both in design and function.
- The wraparound deck is covered in solar panels.
- The toilets are flushed using greywater harvested from rainfall on the roof and stored in an underground cistern.
- Two Trombe Walls frame the front of the facility for passive solar heating.
- The exterior of the classroom is covered in cement board siding and backed by 6 inches of spray foam insulation.
- Zoned HVAC units with programmable thermostats are used for heating and cooling.
- The parking lot and walkways are illuminated using LED lighting with dusk to dawn sensors.