The health, wellness, and safety of all ALT visitors, volunteers, and staff are our top priority. As we continue to follow this fluid situation with COVID-19, we will adhere to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, the PA Department of Health, and local authorities. 

Our conservation areas are open and available from dawn to dusk. Visitors should follow recommended guidelines.

We are hosting both virtual and in-person events. Any in-person events will be held with safety precautions in place; no walk-ins are permitted at this time. Individual participants of any pandemic-impacted events will be notified of changes or cancellations via email. Cancelled events will be rescheduled when possible. 

ALT personnel are working on an adjusted schedule between home and office, and have access to email and phone messages. There may be some delay in responding, so please be patient with us. 

Thank you for continuing to support ALT and please be safe and well. 

The ALTeam 

The post ALT During the Pandemic appeared first on Allegheny Land Trust.

For Immediate Release

PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT BY LOCAL NONPROFIT FOR WATERSHED PLANNING PROJECT

Sewickley, PA – Local land conservation nonprofit Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) invites the residents surrounding the Big Sewickley Creek Watershed to attend a June 19, 2019 community meeting surrounding the “Rivers Conservation and Stewardship Plan”, which it launched in Spring 2019.

Hosted by ALT and consultants from Pashek + MTR, the meeting will provide community members with a description, update, and opportunity for ideas and comments on the planning process for this watershed.

“Water is a vital resource, one that we all enjoy, but one whose importance is often overlooked,” Community Conservation Director Alyson Fearon said. “We’re launching this effort, so we can later apply the tool belt of land conservation to address water quality, flooding, recreation opportunities, land use, and other issues that may come to light in this watershed. And because the project resulted from conversations with community members, we’re hosting this meeting to ensure the plan is created with their concerns, goals, and ideas in-mind.”

The purpose of the plan is to provide a better public understanding of the watershed’s natural and cultural assets, identify threats to water quality and property due to flooding, recommend resolutions to competing interests, and prioritize opportunities to maintain the watershed as a beautiful and healthy place to reside and recreate.

ALT is also seeking input from residents of the watershed area prior to the meeting, whether or not the individual is attending. Please find a map of the watershed on page two of this release. Those who wish to provide input can do so here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G5NT9GL

Big Sewickley Creek Watershed Community Meeting

WHEN: June 19, 2019  |  6:30-8:00 P.M.

WHERE: Marshall Township Municipal Building

525 Pleasant Hill Road | Wexford, PA | 15090

*Parking and entrance at the back of the building

RSVP encouraged but not required:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-sewickley-creek-community-meeting-registration-62954439423

Facebook Event Link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2206847456057974/

Plan webpage:

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The post 2018 RALLY Haul from the Hollow Ride appeared first on Allegheny Land Trust.

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The Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program is coming to Western Pennsylvania in Spring 2018 for the first time via Allegheny Land Trust. The program is a great opportunity for educators, volunteers, and nature-lovers alike to earn a prestigious ecological training.

Through this year-round intensive program, a PA Master Naturalist will collect an understanding of natural sciences in the context of Pennsylvania’s ecological systems; you will deepen strong, foundational knowledge through continuing education, and extend your knowledge to the community through volunteer service in natural resource conservation and education.

The Pennsylvania Master Naturalist initiative is a statewide partnership aiming to develop a local corps of master volunteers and service providers to offer education, outreach, and service dedicated to the understanding and management of natural areas within their communities.

2018 Training Program Dates:

March 21, 28, 31*  |  April 4, 11, 18, 25, 28*  |  May 2, 9, 16, 19*, 23, 30  |  June 6, 13, 20, 23*, 27

*These dates are field days*

APPLY & FIND MORE PA MASTER NATURALIST INFO

The post Become a PA Master Naturalist appeared first on Allegheny Land Trust.

Thanks to attendee experts and volunteers of our Bioblitz series, more than 500 new species have been logged at Wingfiled Pines.

Using iNaturalist, a crowd-sourced biodiversity tracking app, Bioblitz attendees have begun the process of tracking change over time for existing species, and created a framework for continuing to log new species. All of this allows us to paint a more complete picture of Wingfield Pines’ ecological health and effects of changes in the environment on the green space. We’ll share more species details in our next Vistas Newsletter.

This day was possible thanks to a partnership with Upper St. Clair Citizens for Land Stewardship, who attracted our experts, volunteers, and food/refreshment donors. We’re also very thankful for all of our taxa experts from Blue Heron Nature Skills, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc, Duquesne University, Point Park University, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club. Finally, a belly-rubbing thank you to our food and refreshment donors: Baskin Robins, Chipoltle, Chick-fil-A and Eat-n-Park of Upper St. Clair, and Dunkin Donuts and Panera Bread of Mt. Lebanon.

Missed out on the first three? We’ll have one final Bioblitz at Wingfield Pines this year on September 30. As the date approaches, keep an eye on our website calendar, our e-blasts, or our social media for the RSVP link and hike topics for the day.

The post Experts & Volunteers Log 500 New Species appeared first on Allegheny Land Trust.

The post ALT Joins in Urging Public Support for Environmental & Sustainability Issues appeared first on Allegheny Land Trust.

For Immediate Release

Sewickley, PA – The Sprout Fund granted $1,000 to Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) for a June 2017 sculpture unveiling event by local artist Jim West at Sycamore Island.

Named “Our Path” for its commentary on two-way human and nature impact, West’s sculpture will be the first installed on an Allegheny Land Trust green space.

Our Path’s unveiling will bring local community members to the unique, river island to absorb the nature-inspired sculpture, enjoy a 1-mile oral history hiking tour of the island’s perimeter and to hear about the future for both the sculpture and the island.

“If done right, [art] gives the viewer what I call ‘the second look.’ You look away and then suddenly you look back; you see something else. And you think about it the next day,” West said. “I hope that is what I can achieve through my art.”

Sycamore Island is a 14-acre conservation area located in the Allegheny River between Blawnox and Verona boroughs. ALT protected the island in 2008, and has since created a management plan, trail system and volunteer base.

The Sprout Fund is Pittsburgh’s leading agency supporting innovative ideas, catalyzing community change, and making our region a better place to live, work, play, and raise a family.

Sprout provides critical financial support for projects and programs in the early stages of development—when just a small amount of investment has the potential to yield big results in the community.  The unveiling of Our Path was supported by a $1,000 Grand Ideas grant from The Sprout Fund’s Seed Award program.

Learn more at www.sproutfund.org/grand-ideas.

For more information, contact Lindsay Dill at 412.741.2750 x206 or [email protected].

The post Sprout Fund Awards Grant to ALT & Jim West for Unveiling Event appeared first on Allegheny Land Trust.

You are invited to attend this engaging summit including informative presentations geared toward improving your outreach and outdoor programming. Panels include “Innovative Programs that Attract Audiences Across the Age Spectrum” and “Expanding your Horizons: Serving the Underserved.” Additionally, you can participate in an archery demonstration, take an educational tour of a wetland to see how it functions and learn how to build one, and explore the numerous educational opportunities such a resource has to offer. Finally, the program builds in ample opportunity to network with fellow professionals in the fields of recreation, conservation, and environmental education.

When: Friday, October 28 from 8:30 am – 2:30 pm

Where: Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road, Sewickley

Fee: Free

RSVP By October 24

Download the Agenda

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