New Land Project: Montour Greenway Expansion

In partnership with the Montour Trail Council and Hollow Oak Land Trust, we’re ensuring that the Montour Trailside remains green for current and future generations.

At ALT, we protect our region’s remaining green resources in response to rampant development that is far outpacing our region’s population growth. We’ve protected more than 2,400 acres of green space, and every resident of Allegheny County now lives within 12 miles of one of our conservation areas. While our work has significantly improved and ensured the protection of green space in our region, we have much left to do.

Help us protect 38.5 acres along the Montour Trail by supporting this project and sharing the news with a friend.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: KEEP THE MONTOUR TRAIL GREEN

If you’ve walked, run, or biked the Montour Trail you know that part of what makes your experience so special is the scenic landscape through which the trail passes. The gurgling streams, wooded hillsides, and lush valleys are part of our region’s unique natural heritage, and no matter the season the trail and its surroundings provide a much-welcomed respite from the nearby noise, asphalt, and traffic for thousands of users each day. People of all ages, interests, and abilities have come to count on the trail and its surroundings as their place to experience nature, exercise, spend time with family, friends, and pets, or simply enjoy quiet time.

We are particularly fortunate here in the Moon Township area because we have a portion of the trail that is uniquely rustic and scenic following Montour Run as it makes its way toward the Ohio River. Wildlife and wildflowers abound, the dense woods and clean stream combine to make it a very special corridor.

It could be easy to take these wonderfully-wooded surroundings for granted–to assume that since they have always been here they will always be here to provide the scenic beauty, clean water, fresh air, quiet tranquility, wildlife habitat, and close-to-home outdoor recreation that make this a very special place to live. But we simply do not have that luxury. Residential, commercial, and energy development is threatening our green space at an intensifying rate, so we cannot assume that “our” part of the trail will always be the way it is today.  

We need look no further than a few miles up the trail to witness how over-development of the trailside landscape can degrade the trail experience forever.   

It is for this reason that Allegheny Land Trust (in collaboration with the Montour Trail Council and the Hollow Oak Land Trust) is working to permanently protect 38.5 wooded, trail front, stream front acres in the Montour Run Valley. This land (shown in red on this map) is a key piece of the puzzle to protect remaining green space in the valley and connect with other protected lands (shown in shades of green and beige) to create a contiguous and permanent greenway to be enjoyed today and by future generations. ALT has this special property under contract to purchase if we can raise the necessary funds before the end of the year.  

In addition to scenic and recreational benefits, protecting this land would help to mitigate trail and downstream flooding, maintain air and water quality, preserve contiguous wildlife habitat, and further enhance nearby property values.   

We have a unique opportunity to work together to make a real and visible difference! A total of $180,000 is needed to protect this land for current and future generations. ALT currently has pending grants totaling $90,000 from PA state agencies, and commitments of $70,000 from local foundations and other sources, leaving a gap of $20,000 needed from the community to protect this key parcel forever. Additionally, portions of the state grants noted above are dependent upon us raising these local matching dollars. We need your help!  

Please help us to seize the opportunity to protect these 38.5 acres of trailside Moon Township green space forever by making your tax-deductible contribution to the Montour Greenway Expansion project on our online donation form.  

Thank you for acting urgently to help us make a difference!  

Sincerely, 

MAKE A DIFFERENCE, MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION