"The Elms" is the home of outdoor environmental science for St. Mary's County Public Schools. Our mission is to engage students and stakeholders in hands-on environmental investigations and inspire life-long stewardship of our natural resources beginning in our own backyard: the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
During grade-specific field studies, students explore the diverse habitats of our county, including forests, wetlands, meadows, and beaches. Programs are led by SMCPS Elms staff and volunteers at The Elms, at partner sites including Historic Sotterley Plantation and Greenwell State Park, and on school sites.
The Elms site:
The Elms is a 400+ acre outdoor classroom hosting multiple ecologically diverse field study sites on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The property features 2 miles of sandy shoreline, brackish and freshwater wetlands, lowland and upland forests and is interspersed with 3 miles of low impact trails.
The property is part of a 1,020 acre tract located in southern St. Mary's County owned by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and is overseen by its Power Plant Research Program.
"For Environmental Education, Land Could Be 'Living Lab'," by Sunny May Schust, The Enterprise 07/07/1977, A-8
Explore The Elms:
Open our Google Map and take a tour of some of the special places, plants, animals, and sustainability efforts of our center.
This map was created in partnership with Professor and Master Naturalist Barry Muchnick and his St. Mary's College of Maryland's Spring 2020 Chesapeake Natural History Class (ENST 375/95). This class provides students the opportunity to earn volunteer service hours at The Elms and apply those towards completion of a Master Naturalist Certification from the University of Maryland Extension's Master Naturalist Program.
Historical Land Use at The Elms and its Effects on the Landscape
Who was here before students roamed The Elms? You may be surprised. Read Elms Maryland Master Naturalist Robert Hurry's History of the Elms Property!
To view the entire document,
The Elms Property Land Use History revised 2018 - higher resolution.pdf