Sycamore Island Public Meeting
Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 6:30 PM
Sylvan Canoe Club, 132 Arch Street, Verona PA , 15147
Allegheny Land Trust has completed the study of Sycamore Island and will present the final recommendations and findings at the Sylvan Canoe Club in Verona. An interpretive walking trail for island exploration, field test plots for vegetative restoration, and conversion of a relic pool for wildlife habitat are just some of the exciting topics to be discussed. Experts will be on hand to answer questions. For more information, please see the Sycamore Island Public Meeting poster (205KB PDF), contact Emilie Cooper or call 412-741-2750.
3rd Annual Bounty in the Barn – October 9th
Mark your calendar now for the 3rd Annual Bounty in the Barn Harvest Celebration. Enjoy good food, good wine, good music and good company in an al fresco event to benefit Allegheny Land Trust. Graciously hosted by Jodie and Bill Welge at their historic barn in Sewickley Heights, this year’s event will be held on Saturday, October 9th from 6:30 to 10:30 PM. The harvest celebration will feature a catered feast of wines and local organic foods with musical entertainment provided by the The NewLanders.
Bounty in the Barn reservations are $100 per person and must be purchased in advance. You can purchase reservations on line using a credit card through our secure Click & Pledge service, or you can complete an on-line order form, print it and mail it to us with your check. Remember, all proceeds from Bounty in the Barn benefit Allegheny Land Trust’s local conservation efforts. Please respond by September 29th.
Unique AMD Treatment System Dedicated
After years of planning and many months of construction, the Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) Treatment System at ALT's Wingfield Pines Conservation Area was officially dedicated on June 3, 2010. Nearly 100 people attended the unveiling that began with a welcoming breakfast provided by the USC Citizens for Land Stewardship. After a few remarks by attending dignitaries, everyone moved to the area around Pond #1 to witness the official opening of the treatment system. A future conservationist, assisted by Congressman Tim Murphy, had the honor of turning the valve that started water flowing through the aeration pipe into the first of five settling ponds. After that, attendees walked though the system and enjoyed the new boardwalk that meanders through the wetlands allowing close-up views of wildlife. Students from Duquesne University set-up ecology stations highlighting the wildlife that is returning to Wingfield Pines. Gary Rigdon provided an excellent picnic lunch to round out the festivities. For more on the dedication ceremony see our page of photos.
The AMD Treatment System filters 43 tons of iron oxide annually from one billion gallons of mine discharge. Some early sampling indicates that iron oxide is reduced from 13.9 mg/L in Pond #1 to 0.1 mg/L at the discharge site into Chartiers Creek. Click here for a brief description of how the system works. For more information and photos of the construction, please visit our Wingfield Pines Highlights page and Special Projects: AMD Treatment System page.
Even more information can be found in these media reports:
- the Wingfield Pines segment of WQED’s What’s in the Water series featuring the AMD Treatment System
- a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article (June 3, 2010) describing the AMD Treatment System and dedication ceremony
- article on The Allegheny Front website, Artful Water Remediation System Opens to Public
An Opportunity of a Lifetime
Arrow indicates approximate location of tract to be added
to Emerald View Park, at the southwest end of
Mt. Washington. (Click to enlarge.)
Allegheny Land Trust and the Mt. Washington Community Development Corporation (MWCDC) are collaborating once more to protect a tract of wooded slopes, springs and trails on the back (south) side of Mt. Washington to add to the Emerald View Park, formerly known as Grand View Scenic Byway Park. Conserving the land as permanent green space will expand the Park, protect the scenic landscape and wildlife habitat, and help to control stormwater runoff. The tract connects other private and public green spaces and provides passive recreation in the form of hiking trails that provide distant views of the Saw Mill Run valley. Additionally, the dense woodlands help to buffer noise and air pollution from vehicle traffic on Saw Mill Run Blvd.
Allegheny Land Trust has received an $81,000 Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grant Award from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) toward the purchase of this 19-acre property on the south side of Mt. Washington to expand Emerald View Park. In addition to the DCNR grant, ALT has also received a $20,000 grant from the Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation. (For more about these grants, please read our press release.) As of mid-June, nearly 70% of the funding for the project’s total cost of $224,000 has been received.
To find out more about this land protection project and learn how you can help, please see Emerald View Park Addition.
Allegheny Land Trust Announces Legacy Program
With ALT Conservation Areas located from Mt. Washington to Sewickley, the North and South Hills and the Mon Valley, Allegheny Land Trust has established the Legacy Society for our supporters who want to provide for the long-term care of the woodlands and natural spaces that make this area unique. "Allegheny County is gaining more and more national and recent world-wide attention for the beauty of its wooded hillsides. We've established the Legacy Society in response to the growing commitment by a special group of our local supporters who want to make sure that it stays that way by making a legacy gift to Allegheny Land Trust," says Rhonda Madden, Director of Development.
To find out more about Allegheny Land Trust's Legacy Society and how you can provide future support for local conservation and make a gift that costs nothing during your lifetime with possible tax benefits please visit our Legacy Society pages.
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.
A wooded slope NOT protected
by Allegheny Land Trust
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.