Allegheny Land Trust
     Helping local people save local land

Allegheny Land Trust’s 3rd Annual Spring Boat Tour

Thursday, May 17, 2012 – 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

RESERVE ON LINE OR PAY AT THE DOCK!

Join Allegheny Land Trust for our 3rd Annual Spring Boat Tour.  As you cruise Pittsburgh’s rivers, you'll enjoy a light catered dinner, drinks and music.  For more information and to make reservations (only $100/person), click the Spring Boat Tour icon to the left.   RSVP Now!

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Help Save the Fund That Saves the Land!

Please visit www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/2012budget to sign a petition to keep a critical source of environmental funding, Keystone 93, from being eliminated as proposed in the Governor’s budget.  Organizations statewide are rallying their constituents to sign this petition to demonstrate to their elected officials that taxpayers support funding for environmental projects.

Allegheny Land Trust has received more than $1 million in Keystone 93 grants over the years to help protect 1,500 acres in 22 municipalities.  Signing this petition, and forwarding the link to your friends, are the most important things that you can do for the environment today!  Thank you.

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Executive Director Position Posted

Allegheny Land Trust is currently seeking candidates for the position of Executive Director.  Complete details about this position can be found on our Job Opportunities page.

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Allegheny Land Trust’s Online iNaturalist Community

Join Allegheny Land Trust’s online iNaturalist community!  Ever wondered what you were looking at when you were hiking?  All 235 recorded species are listed on the Sycamore Island page, and you might be the first to post or confirm a new species on Sycamore Island or in your own backyard.

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Letters We Like

“I honestly was not at all prepared for what I found when I… wandered down the hill to the old pool to see the preserved open space.”

Brian Magee grew up in Upper St. Clair and has returned to Southwestern Pennsylvania after spending nearly 20 years out west.  After a recent hike around the Wingfield Pines Conservation Area, he was moved to write to Roy Kraynyk, Allegheny Land Trust Land Protection Director.  In his letter, Brian expressed great admiration for the passive treatment system that removes iron oxide from abandoned mine drainage and the informational kiosks that educate site visitors.  “It is sentiments like [Brian’s] that make this work so rewarding,” said Roy, echoing the sentiments the entire staff, board of directors, volunteers and membership of Allegheny Land Trust.  Please read Brian’s entire letter.

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Presentations from “The Science and Wonders of Wingfield Pines”

If you were unable to attend the recent “Science and Wonders of Wingfield Pines” workshop or would just like to review what you learned there, here are slideshows from four of the presentations.  The files are in PDF format and can be downloaded and viewed at your leisure.

• An overview of the work being conducted by Duquesne University students to document changes to the Wingfield Pines ecosystem (7.9MB)
• Wingfield Pines Wetland Plant Surveys (2.0MB)
• Every thing you've wanted to know about Mosquitofish (or Gambusia) (2.3MB)
• Design considerations and performance of the Wingfield Pines Passive Treatment System (6.2MB)

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ALT Preserves Nine Acres in Sewickley Heights

Allegheny Land Trust has just acquired an additional nine acres for preservation in Sewickley Heights.  The land, located along Scaife Road, features scenic meadows and a pond lying within the Little Sewickley Creek Watershed.

Roy Kraynyk, Land Protection Director of Allegheny Land Trust, said the property contributes to the quality of life and the character of Sewickley Heights.  It will offer recreational opportunities and provide an area where individuals can hunt, hike and walk their dogs.  The Sewickley Heights Vision Plan recognized the site as being a high priority for conservation. 

The $520,000 cost of the land was provided by anonymous donors.

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GigaPan Views of Sycamore Island and the Allegheny River

 

Visit the Sycamore Island Images page to see GigaPan photos of Sycamore Island and the Allegheny River vicinity.  These are 360 degree panoramas taken this fall by Richard Palmer.  Be sure to pan around and zoom in and out.

 

 

 

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Allegheny Land Trust Promotes Urban EcoStewards Program

Recently, ALT has joined in a partnership with other local non-profits, such as Allegheny Cleanways, the Frick Environmental Center, Mount Washington Community Development Corporation, Nine Mile Run Watershed Association and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, to promote the Urban EcoStewards program.

The Urban EcoSteward program is a collaborative effort involving citizens to increase public awareness of urban ecology and biodiversity through stewardship of the urban landscape.  EcoStewards volunteer at one of a list of designated green spaces in Allegheny County (which now includes Allegheny Land Trust Conservation Areas) working to remove invasive species, increase the beauty of the space and promote biodiversity.  These volunteers are encouraged to visit their site as often as possible (at least 3-4 times per year) and provide feedback on the condition of the site.

The Urban EcoStewards program provides training throughout the year in various fields such as invasive species removal, shrub and wildflower ID and erosion control techniques.

For more information on becoming an Urban EcoSteward, please contact Emilie Cooper, Stewardship Director, at or 412-741-2750.

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Wingfield Pines AMD Treatment System Science

Check out new additions to the Science Section on the Wingfield Pines property pages.  There you’ll find scientific proof that the new AMD treatment system is effectively cleansing the water that flows from an abandoned mine into Chartiers Creek.  Over the past year, students from Duquesne University have collected data on water quality, hydrophytes (water plants) and fish.  The data has been compiled and analyzed by Duquesne University graduate students Brent Milliron, Roman Becicka and Nate Reinhart.

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It’s your Community, your Future and your Choice

Since 1993, ALT has protected more than 1,500 acres in 21 municipalities in Allegheny and Washington Counties.  These lands help to manage storm and floodwaters, provide scenic beauty and protect wildlife habitat and biodiversity.  Secondary benefits include opportunities for non-motorized passive recreation such as hiking, improved marketability and value of adjacent properties and preservation of a community’s rural character.

 

What is Allegheny Land Trust doing to curb this trend?

Allegheny Land Trust empowers people to shape the future of their community by providing the technical skills and know-how to protect treasured local open space.  Green space is more vulnerable than ever as public subsidies are now being used to transform local green space into suburban sprawl.

Please take a few moments to explore our web site to learn more about ALT and our land conservation practices and programs.

 

Vision: To be recognized as the regional leader in local land conservation and stewardship

Mission: To serve as the lead land trust conserving and stewarding lands that support the scenic, recreational and environmental well-being of communities in Allegheny County and its environs.