We’re Hiring, Join Our Team

Join Allegheny Land Trust’s hard-working team to help make a difference by protecting our region’s green space. We have one full time position open now, and several internship opportunities in 2017.

For 20 years, ALT operated with a small staff of 8 or fewer. We’re proud to be growing, and to have the opportunity to bring on more team members to help us accomplish our mission.

Won’t you join us in helping local people save local land in the Pittsburgh region?

Deadline to apply: Wednesday, October 26.

P.S. What happens if you don’t see something on our Job Opportunities page that appeals to you? Do you have other skills that you think ALT needs on its team? Convince us!

​Pittsburgh Gets a New Park, City’s Largest

While there is much work to be done, Pittsburgh is a surprisingly green city; especially surprising to those who arrive expecting to find the Pittsburgh presented in photos of the city’s industrial past.

We’ve come a long way, and in June, the city took a large leap toward conservation — the largest addition to Pittsburgh’s park system in almost a century: the 660-acre Hays Woods located in the southeastern corner of Pittsburgh’s city limits, 2.5 miles south of the Point.

Hays has been in the news for more than a decade. A race track and casino were proposed there in 2003, and more recently when a pair of bald eagles first decided to raise their young there in 2012 – It has been more than a century and a half since eagles nested within the city limits according to ornithologists.

For the past 5 to 6 years, ALT has been working with partners including Penn Future, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), and the Mayor’s office to acquire the property from the owner, Pittsburgh Development Group, who was interested in gifting it for dedication as a park.

On June 23, 2016, the City acquired the land and all the mineral rights through the Urban Redevelopment Authority for a percentage of the land’s actual value. Before the URA transfers the land to the City, a conservation easement held by WPC will be placed on it to ensure its protection as green space and park; ALT will be named a beneficiary.

Naming ALT as a beneficiary in the conservation easement acts like a having back-up easement, so the result is two conservation groups will be in place to ensure that the easement terms are not violated by a future City Council or whomever may own the property in the future.

We want to give “shout outs” to George Jugovic of Penn Future for his tireless efforts over the years navigating the fragile negotiations with the landowner; to the URA for its bold decision to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and spend the money to protect one of the largest tracts of urban green space east of the Mississippi since the 1930’s; and to Mayor Peduto for the commitment to keep the land “untouched urban forest for generations”.

For more on Hays woods:

http://bit.ly/pghhays

http://wesa.fm/term/hays

http://bit.ly/altpinterest

​ALT Launches Education Program

Allegheny Land Trust has launched a new outdoor and environmental education initiative, and hired two staff members to manage the new education programs.

We welcome Jessica Kester and Julie Travaglini, both formerly of The Outdoor Classroom, to create additional educational opportunities, especially for school-aged children, at our conservation areas. The Outdoor Classroom, a 501c3 based in Upper St. Clair, decided to wind down their operations effective June 1st, opening an opportunity for ALT.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to attract two experienced, well-respected teachers as part of the land trust team,” said ALT President & CEO Chris Beichner. “For over two years, we have been exploring ways to increase outdoor and environmental education opportunities on our conservation areas. We are very pleased to have Jessie and Julie on our team as we look to educate current and future generations.”

The Education Department will develop new programs for children and adults and to be offered at various locations across the region. ALT intends to partner with municipalities, school districts, counties, non-profits and others to provide far-reaching access to the programming.

Read more here.

​The Sewickley Herald Names Roy Kraynyk “Man of the Year”

Our very own Roy Kraynyk, VP of Land Protection & Capital Projects, has been named the 2016 “Man of the Year” by the Sewickley Herald for his “commitment to land conservation across the region, including his work to preserve 300 acres in Sewickley Valley communities — more than half of which were acquired within the last three years.”

Roy has been around longer than any of our current team members, and he’s always one to regale us with stories of ALT’s stories and history. We’re happy and grateful to call him our colleague. Congratulations, Roy!

bit.ly/manofyearrk

Sewickley Herald names Man, Woman, Citizen of Year

Kraynyk named Sewickley Herald Man of Year for conservation work