September 3, 2009 – Forrester Construction has been awarded the Robinson Nature Center in Howard County, Maryland. This project will involve the construction of a new $10 Million, 30,000 SF Modern Nature Center with customary indoor exhibits and displays, along with outdoor interpretive trails. The Center will be built for LEED™ Platinum.

Gary J. Arthur, Director of the County Department of Recreation and Parks, said “Forrester Construction of Rockville was chosen to be the contractor, in part for the firm’s experience in eco-friendly and energy-efficient design.” The main objective of the Robinson Nature Center is to bring people together with nature, to learn, to experience nature and the environment around them, and to promote an ethic of stewardship of the land.

The Center will have a large Discovery Room specifically designed for children’s activities with many “hands-on” exhibits and activities to educate them about their natural environment. The exhibits and activities will be based on sound environmental science, while at the same time, offering an exciting and enjoyable learning experience. The Center willl also have a 150-seat auditorium; two rooms for classes or meetings; a main exhibit room for both permanent and changeable exhibits relating to nature, resource management, and local history; and a 50-seat digital planetarium.

This will be the first nature center to be owned and operated by Howard County Government. The Architect is GWWO Architects of Baltimore, Maryland. Construction is scheduled to begin this month and finish in October 2010.