Gateway Woods Conservation Project
Protecting Local Land
SUMMARY | Allegheny Land Trust is working with community leadership and representatives to acquire and permanently protect 124 acres of green space in the Municipality of Monroeville, adjacent to Pitcairn Borough, and visible from Turtle Creek Valley communities. Conserving this land would connect Sugar Camp Park, Monroeville Community Park West, Monroeville Community Park East, and Mosside Slopes, thus creating 425 contiguous acres of protected green space.
BENEFITS | The land’s permanent conservation would benefit the health, well-being, and enjoyment of current and future residents by protecting biodiversity, air and water quality, and local scenic character as well as creating connections and expanded opportunities for close-to-home passive recreation and environmental education.
Protecting this land would help to address flooding issues in vulnerable Turtle Creek Valley communities by allowing the continued absorption of 102 million gallons of rainwater annually. It would also ensure maintained air quality by annually sequestering 497,720 pounds of carbon and removing 8,860 pounds of other pollutants.
FUNDING | ALT currently has an exclusive contract to purchase and permanently protect this green space contingent upon successfully raising the needed funds for closing by December 2023.
A total of $1,338,760 is needed to conserve the land. In 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) granted ALT $521,000 for the project. ALT will apply for another round of funding from PA DCNR in 2023, and either has funding applications pending or in process with the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, local foundations and corporations, and local municipalities. The final critical component of the funding puzzle is donations from individuals in the community.
HOW YOU CAN HELP | Donations from individuals are a crucial component to every ALT land conservation project as they provide required matching dollars to unlock the full funds from state agencies and they also provide funds to fill any funding gaps.
For this project, we need the community to help us raise $75,000 to protect this land as permanent green space and benefit residents today and for generations to come. We hope you’ll help save this local land by making a donation today.
Current Community Funding Status (updated: 9/8/2023)
