Nurturing Nature, Planting Possibility.
Spring 2010
Mayor Ravenstahl announces two new park projects at Spring Hat Luncheon thriving city, and commended the Parks Conservancy for the success of the past 14 years. Event co-chair Jessica O’Brien agreed with the mayor’s sentiments saying, “I was motivated many years ago to get involved with the Parks Conservancy. My husband and I were working in the City and were committed to live in the City. I felt very strongly that in order to be the best city it could possibly be, Pittsburgh had to have a vibrant parks system.” And cochair Gabriela Porges added, “I got involved with the Parks Conservancy because I realized how much my kids love Pittsburgh’s parks and how often we find ourselves at one of them during the year. It is so important
Continued on Page 3
Stan Franzos
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced two new projects of the publicprivate partnership between the City and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy in his remarks at the twelfth annual Spring Hat Luncheon on Saturday, May 1 at the Highland Park Entry Garden before 680 guests. The mayor indicated the City’s strong support for the rebuilding of the environmental center in Frick Park which burned in 2002 and for the restoration of Mellon Square downtown. Echoing sentiments expressed by President Obama in April of this year, the mayor said that urban parks and getting urban kids active are a priority for his administration. Mayor Ravenstahl highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships to maintain a healthy,
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl visits with Eva Blum of PNC.
Miles of trail improvements and new park signs coming
The City of Pittsburgh’s Director of Public Works Rob Kaczorowski (left) and Director of Parks and Recreation Mike Radley (right) check construction progress with Parks Conservancy President Meg Cheever at the Nine Mile Run trail in Frick Park.
Trail improvement construction and signage installation continues in the City’s four regional parks — Schenley, Frick, Highland and Riverview — as part of a project managed by the Parks Conservancy and the Department of Public Works, and administered through PennDOT. The $3.8 million project was made possible by the efforts of Senator Arlen Specter and Representative Mike Doyle, who were instrumental in securing a large federal grant. In order to access the federal funding, the Parks Conservancy raised approximately $700,000 through matching donations from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, local foundations, corporations, and the Pittsburgh community.
In Schenley Park, the Faloon Trail is completed and open to the public, along with all trails in Riverview Park, and all trails in Frick Park except the Jeep Trail. Work continues in Highland Park. Crews are also installing nearly 100 new signs throughout the four regional parks. In addition to directional signs, new interpretive signs will provide information about park history, wildlife, and restoration efforts that have improved the parks. Approximately 60% of the trail work is finished, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of July. To view a map highlighting closed portions of the trails, please visit pittsburghparks. org/trailsandsigns.
Parks Conservancy brings expertise to downtown park page 4
Hilary Silverman
Public ceremony will unveil Walled Garden on June 12 page 3
Courtesy of Heinz History Center
Melissa McMasters
in this issue 600 Volunteers contribute 2300 hours to parks page 5
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Message from the President: Dear Friends of Pittsburgh Parks, This February, I was privileged to be invited to speak about the health benefits of parks at the Active Living Research Conference on the west coast in San Diego, CA. This annual conference provides a forum for experts to share findings and to learn about the latest thinking, methods, and research on policy and environmental issues related to active living. It was great that this audience of researchers was interested in hearing from a parks person. It was also a singular honor to be invited to participate on the east coast in April at the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors (see page 5). These cross country events confirmed the emerging connection between an excellent urban park system and urgent community issues such as health, community identity, environmental sustainability, and economic vitality. A healthy park system encourages park use and active living. At the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy we are committed to working with the City and with health experts to further explore the correlation between the condition of the park system and the health of Pittsburgh’s people. Thank you for helping us help the parks. The Highland Park Reservoir is a beautiful place for a walk.
Letters to the Editor Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
2000 Technology Drive, Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-682-PARK (7275) Fax: 412-622-0160 www.pittsburghparks.org
Staff Meg Cheever, President and CEO Richard Reed, Executive Vice President and COO Debbie Beck, Chief Financial Officer Philip J. Gruszka, Director of Parks Management & Maintenance Marijke Hecht, Director of Education Susan M. Rademacher, Parks Curator Michael Sexauer, Director of Marketing & Membership Development Laurie Anderson, Grants Manager Kendall Ayers, Development Associate Kim Barner, Finance Assistant Beth Bodamer, Executive Assistant Joyce Collier, Development Assistant Lisa Conti, Development Officer - Annual Fund, Administrator - Development Systems Laura Cook, Marketing Communications Coordinator Erin Copeland, Restoration Ecologist Bryan Dolney, Field Ecologist Adam Fedyski, Student Conservation Association Green Cities Fellow William Ferguson, Development Officer - Corporate and Government Relations Jim Griffin, Schenley Plaza Manager Angela Masters, Gardener Melissa McMasters, Online and Community Advocacy Manager
Board of Directors Alan Ackerman • Dan Booker • Brian Bronaugh Linda Burke • Meg Cheever • G. Reynolds Clark John Diederich • Curt Ellenberg • Helen Faison Jeremy Feinstein • Audrey Hillman Fisher • Elise Frick Vaughn Gilbert • Ethel Hansen • Harry Henninger Dan Holthaus • Becky Keevican • Robbee Kosak John P. Levis, III • Debra Meyer • Scarlet Morgan Gary Mulholland • Brian Mullins • Marlee S. Myers Susan Nernberg • Eliza Nevin • Illah Nourbakhsh Robert Petrilli • James Rogal • Ritchie Scaife Tom Schmidt • Christy Wiegand • Michael Zanic Government Representatives: Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, City of Pittsburgh Chief Executive Dan Onorato, Allegheny County State Representative Dan Frankel Duane Ashley, City of Pittsburgh Rob Kaczorowski , City of Pittsburgh Noor Ismail, City of Pittsburgh
the Voice Editor, Laura Cook Staff Photographer, Melissa McMasters
Plans are in development for the final steps of the Schenley Plaza restoration – the construction of a restaurant. The Parks Conservancy received feedback from the community on this project.
I think it is a good idea. It is vitally important to make both Oakland and Downtown places where business is conducted but also are destinations for people to enjoy. One only has to look so far as The Cafe’ at the Frick to see that restaurants like this can be pleasant and successful. Pittsburgh is well known nationally for its Parks System, so I trust that the Conservancy has the city and the citizens’ best interests in mind here – even through the worst economic down times Pittsburgh’s parks have remained healthy. And really – just a few years ago this space was asphalt parking spaces. Everything done is a major step up here. - Reed Editor’s Note: During the planning to convert Schenley Plaza from parking lot to green space, we undertook a very extensive community engagement process. The majority of people expressed a desire for a restaurant with outdoor seating so they could dine while enjoying the park, so a full service restaurant was a key part of the original vision for the Plaza’s amenities, right alongside the PNC Carousel, the Emerald Lawn and the other food kiosks. The space for the restaurant was integrated into the design and approval process for Schenley Plaza. The Parks Conservancy is committed to working with the city to ensure that any restaurant built will be appropriate to the Plaza space. At the Parks Conservancy, we have worked hard to find the right restaurant partner. We are fortunate to be currently working with Eat ‘n Park Hospitality Group, who have great respect for the design and ambience of the Plaza and who are custom-designing a restaurant appropriate to the space. The designated site for the restaurant is the small area on the Hillman Library side of the park
When I learned that a restaurant is in the works for Schenley Plaza, I rebelled in disgust. Rampant commercialism and green parks don’t mix. Please reconsider this ill-advised decision, and keep our new park free of restaurants. - David Schenley Plaza as it is today is a wonderful example of a perfect transformation of an ugly parking lot into a lovely public space. Why destroy your fine work now by sticking an Eat n’ Park in there. There are restaurants galore within two blocks of the site, everything from upscale gourmet to inexpensive fast food. Don’t do it, it’s a terrible awful idea. - Joseph
which was reserved for it in the original plan. The great lawn expanse will remain untouched. Revenues from the restaurant will help us maintain and strengthen the Plaza amenities that everyone enjoys free of charge. The City of Pittsburgh provides a basic level of maintenance to the Plaza, in line with what is provided to other parks. Your non-profit Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy funds over 200 free programs each year, including concerts, yoga, flea markets, children’s programming, films, holiday lighting and free wireless internet access. The gardens and grounds, tent, and carousel are maintained by our employees and by the sanitation and maintenance crews and security officers the Parks Conservancy hires. It is wonderful that so many people have come to care deeply about Schenley Plaza.
Please send letters to info@pittsburghparks.org or the Voice, 2000 Technology Drive, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Letters may be edited. All submissions become the property of the Parks Conservancy.
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Spring 2010
Stan Franzos
Hat Lunch is spring sensation for parks
Continued from Page 1 for us all to contribute to keeping our green spaces viable, not just for this generation of children, but for the many more that will come after us.” The volunteer-led event was guided by 2010 Committee Co-Chairs Susie Dorrance, Christine LeClere Hilliard, Peggy McKnight, Jessica O’Brien, and Gabriela Porges. Debbie Demchak, Annie Hanna Engel, and Kiya Tomlin served as Vice Chairs. Ritchie Scaife, Audrey Fisher and Teresa Heinz were Honorary Chairs. Advisory Council members included Helene Finegold Blodgett, Nadine E. Bognar, Lynn Davenport, Ranny Ferguson, and Charena Swann. Event co-chair Susie Dorrance expressed some of the committee’s enthusiasm saying, “I’m very proud of the Conservancy’s work in general. It’s a delight to be involved in fundraising for an organization whose work is so readily recognized
and appreciated.” PNC was Presenting Sponsor of the Spring Hat Luncheon. PNC executive Marsha Jones expressed the importance of green buildings and conservation in her remarks. Acknowledging today’s economic situation, co-chair Peggy McKnight stated, “I believe in the mission of the Parks Conservancy to improve the quality of life for people in Pittsburgh by restoring our park system. There is a big need to fund our parks because unlike other attractions, our parks are free to everyone. There is no one there asking for an entrance fee. The Hat Luncheon is vital to providing this means of support.” The festive event has raised a phenomenal $4.1 million over the past 12 years to benefit the Parks Conservancy’s work in the City’s park system. To view photos of this year’s event, visit pittsburghparks.org/springhatluncheon. Marsha Jones of PNC spoke at the luncheon.
Public ceremony will unveil Walled Garden on June 12
The Mellon Park Walled Garden has been restored and will be dedicated in a public ceremony on Saturday evening, June 12 at 8:30 p.m.
Finishing touches are being made on the restoration of Mellon Park’s Walled Garden, and a dedication ceremony has been scheduled for Saturday, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. The event is free to the public. The Parks Conservancy worked with the
City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Works and volunteer crews to finish plantings in the garden throughout the spring season. Trees, shrubs, and bulbs were planted last fall, thanks to our volunteers. Crews began working on the garden in
summer 2009, removing declining trees and existing foliage in order to re-establish a more traditional planting plan. The garden will feature new seating, restored brickwork and stone paving, an operable fountain, and a restored entryway. Local landscape architecture firm LaQuatra Bonci completed the design for the project. The art installation for the Walled Garden was created by New York artist Janet Zweig. Her work is entitled 7:11 AM 11.20.1979 79° 55´ W 40° 27´ N and uses fiber optic technology to create a lighted representation of the night sky over Pittsburgh in memory of Ann Katharine Seamans, to whom the restoration project is dedicated. One hundred and fifty “stars” were installed in the lawn before new grass was planted last fall. If you’re interested in attending the dedication, please RSVP online at pittsburghparks.org/mellonpark. If you’d like to support this project by purchasing a star, please call Lisa Conti at 412-682-7275 ext. 211 or visit pittsburghparks.org/publicart.
Mary Jane Bent
The Spring Hat Luncheon Co-chairs bring fantastic leadership to the event. From left to right: Christine LeClere Hilliard, Gabriela Porges, Jessica O’Brien, Susie Dorrance, and Peggy McKnight.
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the VOICE
Regional Parks Plan to be updated this year Ten years after the original publication of the Pittsburgh Regional Parks Master Plan, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the City of Pittsburgh are updating the blueprint for parks restoration. The revised plan will reflect the last decade’s accomplishments, new opportunities such as Frick Park’s Environmental Center, and a matured perspective on the parks as one interlinked system. Rather than addressing each of the four regional parks individually in the revised plan, the planning team, led by the Parks Conservancy, is looking at the park system’s “blueways, greenways, and grayways”- its water aspects, landscapes, and infrastructure. Management strategies for these components in the regional parks will be a resource as well for neighborhood parks throughout the city. The revised document will also include plans for enhancing connections within the
The update of the Pittsburgh Regional Parks Master Plan will include Frick Park’s Environmental Center.
Help us shape the master plan by voicing your opinions on parks at pittsburghparks.yuku.com.
park system via the historic boulevards—Bigelow, Beechwood, and Washington—and linking streets. Strengthening these linkages between the parks would provide more linear park options for cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists. Coinciding with the revision of the master plan is the City of Pittsburgh’s development of its first-ever comprehensive plan for land use, infrastructure, and public services. The completed update of the Regional Parks Master Plan will be incorporated into that document, called PLANPGH, as part of the Open Space, Parks and Recreation component. Visit planpgh.com for more information. You can communicate directly with the Parks Conservancy’s planning team about important issues facing the parks. This June’s Wednesday Walks in the Woods will each be led by a member of the team and will explore aspects of the plan. For a complete walk schedule, visit pittsburghparks.org/walks-in-the-woods.
The Parks Conservancy and the City of Pittsburgh are restoring Mellon Square by completing a plan that will re-establish the park's historic character and improve the park user experience. The Mellon Square partnership will be similar to the strong and successful working relationship at Schenley Plaza. The City's Department of Public Works will provide basic maintenance, with the Parks Conservancy offering enhanced services such as periodic cleaning and sealing of the terrazzo paving. The popular concert series organized by Citiparks will continue, and the Parks Conservancy will sponsor additional programming, including docent-led lunchtime tours about the history and design of the park on the third Wednesday of every month from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. from June to September. The dedication of Mellon Square on October 18, 1955. An educational audio tour with eight “stops” Because of Mellon Square's intricate design, overseeing its throughout the Square now highlights the maintenance requires a careful eye for detail. “Mellon Square is an plaza’s unique story. The tour brochure is available for download on pittsburghparks.org and touranytime.org. Also, the Parks Conservancy’s extremely significant historic and cultural landscape, and we are excited to be working with the City to add the Parks Conservancy’s experience website features a video on the design history of Mellon Square. to its care, restoration, and management,” says Susan Rademacher, Parks Curator. “Everything will be done with an eye toward enhancing Mellon Square as an oasis in the heart of the city, as it was originally envisioned by its designers, Mitchell & Ritchey and Simonds & Simonds.” Phase 1 of the Parks Conservancy’s restoration project will address the area from the top of the two staircases down to Smithfield Street. Plans include renovating the water-damaged stairs, restoring the fountain cascade, planting a green canopy over the Smithfield Street storefronts, and creating a new open-air terrace. The terrace was featured in many of the original design drawings for Mellon Square, and will provide a new gathering space for events, dining, and socializing. An engineering study by the Pittsburgh Parking Authority is complete, and improvements are underway. The Mellon Square restoration project is supported by lead grants from the Colcom Foundation and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, with additional funding by the W. I. Patterson Charitable Trust. BNY Mellon Corporation Foundation assisted in funding the original study.
Courtesy of Heinz History Center
Parks Conservancy brings expertise to downtown park
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Spring 2010
• Developing and maintaining urban and community parks as places for future generations to experience, • Encouraging families and especially young people to spend more time outdoors, building on the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” initiative, • Building on successful local and regional conservation efforts across the country to protect rivers, landscapes, and historic sites, and • Helping property owners protect their land for future generations. The full text of President Obama’s remarks are available at whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarkspresident-americas-great-outdoors-conference.
Oak wilt claims Frick trees On the northeast edge of Frick Park, two acres stand bare due to oak wilt, an aggressive fungus that kills thousands of oak trees each year in the eastern United States. Approximately 60 dead or infected trees were cleared this April by Bartlett Tree Experts and the City of Pittsburgh. Oak wilt is a vascular disease that causes leaf wilt, branch dieback, and ultimately death in affected trees. The disease is easily spread between trees, and it’s this rapid rate of infection that made the clearing of this area of the park necessary. Trenches were dug to prevent the infection from traveling through the root system to healthy trees in the area. “This is absolutely the right thing to do,” says Phil Gruszka, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s Director of Parks Maintenance and Management. “It is an unfortunate event in the life of an urban forest, but doing nothing would mean greater devastation.” It could take up to one full growing season to know if the fungus has spread beyond the treated area. During this time, the City and Parks Conservancy will closely monitor native and non-native plant regeneration in this area. Once the dead, infected, and buffer trees are removed, the surrounding oaks will be treated with a fungicide to prevent further spreading. However, removing trees can create a situation where soil erosion can occur. To combat that problem, the City will be using a fast, cost-effective process called hydroseeding which will help grass seed adhere to the dirt for faster germination. If you would like to help the Parks Conservancy cover the unexpected expenses associated with helping Frick Park recover from this devastation, please donate to the Parks Conservancy’s Emergency Maintenance Fund through the attached envelope or at pittsburghparks.org/donate.
Nearly two acres of Northeastern Frick Park were cleared due to oak wilt.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Parks Conservancy CEO Meg Cheever at the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors.
600 volunteers contribute 2300 hours to parks
Hilary Silverman
In mid April, Meg Cheever was invited to the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors. President Obama delivered a keynote address committing “to foster a new generation of community and urban parks so that children across America have the chance to experience [parks].” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and Nancy Sutley, Chair of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality, served as co-hosts of the Conference. Vilsack, a Pittsburgh native, has spearheaded USDA initiatives to conserve the nation’s forests and private working lands, as well as leading efforts to improve the health of America’s children through increased physical activity. The two-year America’s Great Outdoors initiative will follow four principles:
Courtesy of the White House
Cheever attends White House Conference on the Great Outdoors
Seventh graders from Propel School work on the Babbling Brook Trail in Highland Park.
Volunteers complete many tasks throughout our park system. The spring volunteer season started in March and wrapped up in late May. During that time, more than 600 volunteers contributed 2,300 hours to the parks. The Panther Hollow Extravaganza on April 24 helped clean up trash, plant trees, and control erosion in the Panther Hollow Watershed in Schenley Park. Along Frick Park’s Nine Mile Run stream valley, the Parks Conservancy partnered with the City and with Nine Mile Run Watershed Association to restore stream bank vegetation. Throughout the season, Parks Conservancy staff and the City have worked with the Men’s Garden Club of Pittsburgh to beautify the Highland Park Entry Garden. Volunteers also improved trails in Highland Park, planted trees and shrubs in the Westinghouse Woods, and installed a rain garden at the Schenley Park Café and Visitor Center.
The Parks Conservancy
would like to thank the
following organizations for volunteering
Allegheny Cleanways Americorps Aramark Bayer Center BNY Mellon Boy Scouts Calvary Episcopal Church Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Museum of Natural History City High Charter School City of Pittsburgh Duquesne University Frick Environmental Center Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest Jewish Community Center Hip Mamas Men’s Garden Club of Pittsburgh
Mt. Washington Community Development Corporation Nine Mile Run Watershed Association Oakland Planning and Development Corporation Pennsylvania Resources Council Pittsburgh Cares Pittsburgh Trail Advocacy Group (PTAG) Point Park University Propel Schools Rodef Shalom Congregation Student Conservation Association Three Rivers Rain Garden Alliance University of Pittsburgh Westinghouse
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Phil-osophy Phil Gruszka, Director of Parks Management and Maintenance, talks about parks restoration and invasive plants. If you have questions for Phil, please email info@pittsburghparks.org with “Phil” in the subject. We will do our best to address them. How do you choose which plants and trees to use for a project? Before a project begins, our Parks Curator, Susan Rademacher, appropriate City personnel, and I review historic documents to understand the original landscape intent and consider its modern day use. From these perspectives we can develop a plant list and design concept. This information is provided to landscape architects for final design and construction documents. In general, we work toward emulating the original design; however, because we are working in public spaces, we avoid plants that are known allergens, have thorns, are environmentally invasive, and require lots of care. We use plants that are easy to maintain but still look great, for example black-eyed susan, daffodil or yarrow. Would you ever use a non-native plant or tree in a project? Absolutely. While restoring the Mellon Park Walled Garden, we decided to deviate from the Japanese cherry tree that had been historically planted and use the Japanese stewartia tree. The Japanese cherry and stewartia trees are nonnatives; however, they are not environmentally invasive. We chose the stewartia over the cherry because it is underused in horticulture, the site is perfect for stewartia - protected from winds and has a well drained soil - and they are interesting in every season. They bloom during the summer, giving the garden a more lush landscape. There are many great non-native plants that are also non-invasive to the area, but the invasive plants must be avoided. To learn more about invasive plants in our area, visit pittsburghparks.org/invasiveplants. In ecological restoration, what leads you to depart from trees or plants that have been planted before? We are making decisions today based on knowledge. Many of our predecessors did not know that some of the plants they were embracing from around the world would become environmentally invasive. Today we better understand the genetic potential of these non-native plants to leave the place where we plant them and seed into our natural areas, begin to alter soil chemistry, and displace native seedlings.
Black-eyed Susans look great and are easy to maintain.
Carlos Peterson, a visual artist, and Sidney Kaikai of L. Robert Kimball & Associates (right) review pieces of the Greenprint plan and offer commentary during one of several public sessions.
between Hill House Association, the Hill District Consensus Group, Community Partners Institute, and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. The project incorporates successful landscape strategies from Pittsburgh and beyond to create dynamic places on the Hill that are new, yet comfortably familiar, building upon existing historical, ecological, and cultural assets.
The Invasive Advisor Invasive plants choke out the biodiversity of our natural areas – even in our own backyards. Many of the plants are non-native, meaning they were not part of our original habitat, but introduced from other countries, often for gardening and landscaping. With few or no natural enemies, these plants can now be seen taking over entire landscapes. Join the battle! Learn to recognize and control invasive species by picking up Plant Invaders of the Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas at the Schenley Park Café and Visitor Center. You can also find an Invasive Plants of Pittsburgh guide on our website. Please avoid planting these aggressors in your own garden.
Japanese Stilt Grass Common name: Nepalese browntop Scientific name: Microstegium vimineum Origin: northeastern Asia
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, United States
Nearing completion in the Hill District is the Greenprint plan – an ecological framework for development. Three demonstration projects are currently under design: • The Woods – expanding the web of trees and greenspace that encircles the Hill District; • Conveyance – improving strategic sets of steps and nearby pathways that are vital links for walking routes; and • The Village – recognizing and improving five blocks of Centre Avenue as the Hill’s core public space. In April, project representatives Terri Baltimore of Hill House and Susan Rademacher of the Parks Conservancy presented the Greenprint project at the Healthy Parks Healthy People International Congress in Melbourne, Australia. Their lecture revealed how Find the Rivers! began, and detailed the Greenprint planning process and results. The project was complimented for its innovative plan and the methods of engaging the community. Design consultants for the project are Walter Hood and Chelsea Johnson of Hood Design from Oakland, CA, and Jonathan Kline, Christine Brill, and Safiya Hadari of the Studio for Spatial Practice of Pittsburgh. Working with Terri Baltimore, Denys Candy, and Susan Rademacher of Find the Rivers!, and with many members of the community, the team has been able to envision the Hill through the eyes of the people who know it best. Scores of people came together in working groups that developed project ideas over the past few months. After final designs are presented in June, fundraising will begin for initial projects. The Greenprint is a project of Find the Rivers! (FTR!), an initiative to connect people and landscape in the Hill. FTR! is a partnership
Photo by Larry Rippel 2010
Greenprint plan in progress
Description: Nepalese browntop is a delicate, sprawling, annual grass that is ½ to 3 ½ ft. in height. The alternating leaves are pale-green and lance-shaped with a shiny, off-center midrib. Flowering occurs in late-summer, when delicate flower stalks develop in the axils of the leaves or at the apex of the stems. It has previously been used as packing material for porcelain. Ecological Threat: Japanese stilt grass is especially well adapted to low light conditions. It threatens native plants and natural habitats in open to shady, and moist to dry locations. Stilt grass spreads to form extensive patches, displacing native species. Where white-tail deer are over-abundant, they may assist its invasion by feeding on native plant species and avoiding stilt grass. Management Options: Manual, mechanical, and chemical means are available to control established plantings. Plants can be pulled by hand. Because hand-pulling plants disturbs the soil and may expose stilt grass seed from previous seasons, late season pulling is best and will avoid the likelihood of seed germination.
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Spring 2010
The Schenley Park Café and Visitor Center just got even greener with this spring’s installation of a rain garden and five rain barrels around the building. These new features will infiltrate a significant amount of water, keeping it out of Pittsburgh’s combined sewer overflow system. This in turn will reduce the level of waste deposited into the rivers. One of the rain barrels will be used to water the plants at the Schenley Park Café, while the others will serve as detention basins that slow the flow of water into the landscape. The rain garden will capture the water from downspouts on one side of the building, where it will be soaked up by water-loving plants such as royal fern, cardinal flower, and blue flag iris. With the help of volunteers from BNY Mellon and Carnegie Mellon University’s Engineers Without Borders, part of the Café lawn was excavated so that pipes from the building could flow beneath the grass into the garden. The Young volunteers help with constructing a rain garden at the Schenley Park Café and Visitor plants were installed as part of a huge volunteer effort that Center. took place on April 24. The Panther Hollow Extravaganza celebrated the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with 200 Thanks to our partners on the Panther Hollow Extravaganza: Allegheny volunteers tackling everything from litter pickup to invasive Cleanways, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, City of Pittsburgh, Friends removal to tree planting. of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest, Oakland Planning and Development Corporation, “Everything the volunteers worked on is part of the overall Pennsylvania Resource Council, and the Student Conservation Association. restoration of the Panther Hollow watershed,” says Erin Special thanks to our media sponsors, KDKA and WYEP, and to Aramark, Chipotle, Copeland, the Parks Conservancy’s Restoration Ecologist. Panera Bread, and Whole Foods for their generous donations. “These volunteers are directly helping this watershed, our We would also like to thank Three Rivers Revival, part of the Heinz Youth rivers, and all other watersheds that are connected to them.” Philanthropy program, for their contribution to the funding of the rain garden.
John Altdorfer
Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities
Panther Hollow Extravaganza volunteers helped with litter pickup, invasive plant removal, and tree plantings in Schenley Park.
The ThirTeenTh annual wyeP suMMer MusiC fesTival fridaY, June 25 at 6 P.m. SCHenLeY PLaZa
Featuring... Nicole Atkins and the Black Sea, Sarah Harmer and Band, Joshua James and Band, The Boogie Hustlers
May 29
Bike trail maintenance with PTAG Riverview Park, 9 a.m. -1 p.m.
June 2
Urban Eco Steward Shrub & Tree ID Riverview Park, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
June 6
Kids Day! Schenley Plaza, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
June 9
Beautification activities with the Men’s Garden Club of Allegheny County Highland Park, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
June 12
Mellon Park Walled Garden Dedication Mellon Park, 8:30 p.m.
June 16
Lunchtime Tour of Mellon Square Mellon Square, 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
June 16
Lecture with Susan Rieff, Executive Director Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Frick Fine Arts Building, 11:30 a.m.
June 23
Beautification activities with the Men’s Garden Club of Allegheny County Highland Park, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
July 21
Lunchtime Tour of Mellon Square Mellon Square, 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Yoga: Mondays at Noon, Saturdays at 10:00 a.m @Schenley Plaza Cardio Bootcamp: Sundays at 11:00 a.m. @Schenley Plaza Walks in the Woods: Every Wednesday through September For more information, visit parksarefree.com or pittsburghparks.org/calendar.
Electricity usage in Schenley Plaza for the 2010 season is being offset using renewable energy certificates (RECs) through Make Me Green™ from Direct EnergyBusiness.
John Altdorfer
Rain garden, barrels installed at Schenley Park Café
2010 SPEAKER SERIES
inside ouT Uniting landscape & building in environmental education
susan k. rieff
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER AUSTIN, TEXAS
WedneSdaY, June 16 11:30 a.m. Frick Fine Arts Building Located across from Schenley Plaza in Oakland.
Join us to discover how experiential learning for children, professionals, and community members can benefit from natural and built environments that are thoughtfully designed and well integrated with the landscape. This lecture is free, but please register online at pittsburghparks.org/speakerseries. Presented by
PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH HISTORY OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT.
Printed on Recycled Paper
In 2009 the Parks Conservancy partnered with UPMC Health Plan to launch a Parks are Free campaign promoting Pittsburgh’s urban parks as excellent, free public spaces offering activities encouraging physical activity. The campaign will continue this year launching in June and running throughout the summer. The website, parksarefree.com, lists the fantastic free events at Schenley Plaza, on the Citiparks calendar, and more. These events highlight the wonderful open spaces in Pittsburgh and the benefits of the outdoors. Public parks offer low- and no-cost opportunities to residents of every age, ability, and income level to increase their physical activity and prevent chronic health conditions. From increased air and water quality, to lower daytime temperatures, parks even provide lifestyle benefits to those who have little interaction with them. In addition to what we intuitively know, research in recent years confirms that a clear link exists between well-maintained urban parks and a healthy lifestyle. Deakin University in Australia published a 2008 report stating that parks provide an enormous opportunity for people to re-establish and maintain their health (Healthy Parks, Healthy People, 2008). Additionally, a report by the Trust for Public Land stated that individuals with access to parks exercise more (Sherer, 2006). The Deakin University report also cites that “parks can reduce crime, foster psychological wellbeing, reduce stress, boost immunity, enhance productivity, and promote healing.” Conversely, a park that is unsafe, overgrown, or choked with litter and debris is usually avoided, effectively severing the connection between people and nature. What follows is a downward spiral that prevents children from learning to value our natural spaces, leading future generations to devalue and dismiss park space as unnecessary. Over a century ago, Pittsburgh’s great urban parks were created by the city’s visionaries who understood the benefits of green refuge to the average worker—typically steel mill employees who toiled in terrible conditions. Though conditions have changed over the last century
John Altdorfer
UPMC Health Plan continues support for Parks are Free
Pittsburgh parks provide fantastic, free opportunities to experience nature and foster the next generation of park stewards.
and awareness of the benefits of regular exercise outcomes by improving park space though and other stress-relieving activities is part of public-private partnerships between the City our culture, parks remain important places of and organizations like the Parks Conservancy. renewal to a large portion of the population. An important piece of the Parks Conservancy’s work is improving the quality of life for the people of Pittsburgh because we understand that quality of life is Help us reach 1,000 fans! improved by a healthy park system. When we reach 1,000 fans, one fan A 2009 Parks will be chosen at random to select Conservancy survey the item of their choice from the of registered voters Parks Conservancy’s online store at showed that an www.pittsburghparks.org/store. astonishing 89% use the parks annually, and revealed a 20% LIKE the Parks Conservancy on increase in park use WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PITTSBURGHPARKS since a similar survey conducted in 1999. This is a very positive Spread the word and sign that suggests help us reach 1,000! Pittsburgh has largely avoided the negative