Conservation
Conservation of the Broad Creek Woods, historic places and the character of a rural community
The Conservancy of Broad Creek
Conservation of forests, historic places and rural community
The Conservancy of Broad Creek is a well respected member of our community. The Conservancy is trusted by local, state and national politicians, regional leaders. and other advocates.
The Conservancy works to conserve the forests and historic assets in a rural community called, Broad Creek Historic District (BCHD). BCHD is located three miles south of Washington, D.C. and nine miles from the U.S. Capitol.
BCHD is a mile-long wooded, 455 acre area along the Potomac River. It has FOUR Nationally Registered Historic Places, ONE Nationally Registered Historic Structure, and ONE privately owned historic structure. All this in a mile-long, wooded area.
That’s why a very wealthy developer donated 72 forested acres to the The Conservancy!
Stewards of the Broad Creek Woods
How it started and what we're doing
On December 13, 2013 Milton Peterson, developer of National Harbor, donated 72 acres of land to the The Conservancy of Broad Creek. Mr. Peterson said he was happy to give the land to the historic district’s Conservancy because he believed in the organization’s goals of preserving the land. “This group is absolutely focused and has a purpose to really preserve history,” Peterson said. “When I bought the property I had no idea that it had real, true historic significance. This is the right thing to do.”
- Subsequently, the Conservancy
- renamed the forest from the Fennell Tract to Broad Creek Woods
- developed a Forest Stewardship Plan with MD Dept. of Natural Resources
- successfully reduced the property taxes based on our non-profit status
- worked with Mr. Peterson to eradicate all trash from inside the Woods
- created an easement agreement with Maryland Environmental Trust
- marked the Woods boundary line using the appropriate method
- had MD Highway Dept. install guard rails to prevent illegal dumping
- earned a Community Improvement Grant
- earned a PG County Council Special Appropriation Grant
- collaborated with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo to harvest bamboo
- undertook the remove of invasive bamboo from the property
Addressing Invasive Bamboo
Invasive bamboo: It would fall across a major Fort Washington road and stop traffic. It grew up-stream and down-stream. It choked-out all native plants. And it kept spreading.
Golden Bamboo, Phyllostachys aurea is the culprit. It’s native to Asia and is a major invasive plant in Maryland, especially near moist soil. Too commonly grown in yards, devastates native flora & fauna.
In 2018, with Grants in-hand, the Conservancy undertook it’s eradication. Below are before and after pictures. As of 2021, the battle continues.
Before
After
Community Conservation and Beautification
Conservation includes beautifying the community
- The Conservancy works on many projects including:
- improving the view-scape and highlighting our rural character
- participates in the National Park Service's Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan
- attending and contributing to other community group’s brainstorm meetings
- addressing the safety of a proposed Pepco lithium ion battery bank project
- marked the Woods boundary line using the appropriate method
Join The Conservancy or Donate!
The Conservancy is open to members, and is a 501(c)(3) organization. Membership fees and contributions are tax deductible.
The Conservancy of Broad Creek has a long history of contributing to our community, and preservation, education and conservation. Learn more About Us, join us and participate!