Take a Self-Guided Meadow Tour!
Four meadows to visit in your Allegheny County Parks
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Kevin Lhota at Celebration Meadow in Boyce Park
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Meadows, we have learned at the Parks Foundation, draw more than bees and butterflies. They also make memories.
Boyce Park regulars Kevin and Pat Lhota of Plum always enjoyed their walks in Boyce Park. So when Kevin was looking for a way to honor the memory of his dear wife, he was reminded of how much she enjoyed those walks.
The Celebration Meadow
off Pierson Run Road was planted in 2019 in Pat’s honor, tethering her memory to him forever.
This four-acre site was identified by the
Boyce Park Ecological Assessment and Action Plan
as favorable for a meadow. It was prepared by Allegheny County Parks, who planted Coreopsis, Butterfly Milkweed, Coneflower, Aster, Black-eyed Susans and many more native species. It also features perennial grasses.
Meadows provide year-round interest for visitors and the month of July is no exception. Each meadow is unique and the seed mix selected for the meadows reflect the nature of their individual sites. The meadows are collaborations between Allegheny County Parks Foundation and Allegheny County.
Meadows are beneficial because they reduce the need to mow, attract pollinators and absorb storm water, helping to eliminate runoff issues. The popularity of meadows in the Allegheny County Parks led to requests for information on how to use sustainable practices and native species in home gardens. The Wild Gardens Project of the Allegheny County Penn State Master Gardeners created a
pamphlet
with helpful suggestions.
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2020 Campaign for Allegheny County Parks Foundation
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If ever there was a time to be grateful for the Allegheny County Parks, it's during a global pandemic!
The parks have been busier than ever, uniting us together in the shared joy of 12,000 acres of trees, meadows, hiking trails and so much more. We value the freedom that open spaces and open parks mean to everyone, especially when restrictions limit nearly every aspect of our lives.
In the face of uncertainty wrought by COVID-19, the Board of Directors of the Allegheny County Parks Foundation has decided to cancel the Twilight Picnic for the Parks, which had been scheduled for August 22. This annual gala at Hartwood Acres Park gave the Parks Foundation a time to shine, to show our valued sponsors and park lovers how vital their funding is for improving, conserving and restoring all nine parks. We hope everyone will recognize this as a special time to continue focusing on one of our region's most valuable assets, the Allegheny County Parks.
The 2020 Campaign for the Allegheny County Parks offers you a chance to support the parks
today
.
Your support over the years has helped us plant
24 acres of meadows, 2,000 trees and restore six miles of trails
, improving the parks' ecology and benefiting the entire region. Your support is also helping us
restore historical features like the Cascades in South Park and the Sculpture Garden at Hartwood Acres
.
At this time of uncertainty, we lean on the people and places that offer hope for better days to come. The Allegheny County Parks Foundation has continued working toward that day throughout the pandemic and with your help, we will get there together.
Please support your nine Allegheny County parks with a 100% tax-deductible donation.
If your organization would like to explore sponsorship, please email
Barbara Brewton
or call her at 724.327.7627.
We are always grateful for your support.
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Thank you to our 2020 Campaign Sponsors for
their continued support!
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Parks Advocate
J.P.Morgan Private Banking
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Parks Fan
AECOM
Dentons Cohen & Grigsby P.C.
Eat'n Park Hospitality Group
I.B.E.W. Local Union #5
KeyBank
Mascaro Construction
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If a bee buzzes in the woods, who hears it?
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Project Bee Watch volunteers will!
Point Park University Professor Matthew Opdyke, Ph.D and his graduate student, Hanna Evanchak, will be monitoring the Indian Hill Meadow at Boyce Park for pollinators all summer long. Early results from the months of May and June are in and the bumble bee density at Boyce Park is the highest among the four parks they are observing, the others being North Park and Schenley and Frick in the city. They attribute the high count to the popular wildflower Penstemon, known as beardstongue, a proven favorite for bumble bees!
Project Bee Watch is a citizen science program started by Opdyke in 2018 that collects data with the goal of conserving insect pollinators and reversing the decline of these beneficial species as a consequence of climate change and other factors.
This team will conduct visual counts of pollinators. Their findings, recorded over a period of time, help establish the role that meadows play in increasing the proliferation of bees, butterflies and fireflies. This valuable data helps the Parks Foundation seek funding to install more meadows in the nine Allegheny County Parks.
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Project Updates
Nevin Shelter, South Park
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The
Nevin Shelter
was one of the original stone structures designed by Paul Riis, the first director of the Allegheny County Parks and a renowned landscape architect. Thanks to the generosity of donors Anne and David Oyler, along with the support of the Paul Riis Legacy Preservation Volunteers, this valuable South Park asset is slated for restoration.
“We’re eager to see Nevin and the other Paul Riis structures restored in order to foster a better appreciation of their beauty and the history behind them,” Anne Oyler said.
This donation will cover the $10,500 cost of restoration and the installation of an interpretive sign. Most of the work will be done by Allegheny County, which is partnering with the Parks Foundation on this project.
Located on Corrigan Drive between Brownsville Road and Sesqui Drive, the shelter, built in the 1930s, is in need of extensive masonry and chimney work. This work could begin late summer or early fall, depending on weather and crew availability.
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Sculpture Garden at Hartwood Acres Park
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Conservator Teresa Duff applies paint to
Hence
by Clement Meadmore
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The construction of the new
Sculpture Garden at Hartwood Acres
is busy with activity. Two sculptures have been undergoing conservation in an open-air process that the public is welcome to stroll by and observe.
Teresa Duff, a conservator from Lineage Historic Preservation Services of Sewickley, has been performing this essential step in preparing the sculptures for their “new look.” The sculptures are
Hence
by Clement Meadmore, located on the lawn in the proximity of the mansion, and
Monumental Holistic Image IV
by Betty Gold, which is located along the mansion’s access road off Middle Road.
Duff oversaw the erection of scaffolding and tenting to provide her full access to all angles of the pieces. Each will be sanded first to remove existing paint and oxidation. She will prime them and apply paint in colors that match the original specifications of both sculptors. Once she has completed the painting, which, weather pending, should take her through the beginning of July, the scaffolding will be dismantled and all paint residue will be removed from the site.
The Allegheny County Parks Foundation has also engaged Duff in the conservation of two more sculptures,
Stretch
by Charles Ginnever and
North Light
by David von Schlegell. Look for work to begin on these this summer. The Parks Foundation and Allegheny County are partners in this exciting project.
This project is made possible by the RADical ImPAct Grant program, which was launched in celebration of the Allegheny Regional Asset District’s 25
th
anniversary with the intention of funding bold, forward-looking, creative projects that will have a radical impact on the region.
The Parks Foundation is actively seeking funding from public and private sources and individuals and hopes to complete the construction by Spring, 2021.
If you would like to learn more about this exciting project or make a donation, contact Caitlin Harpster at
charpster@acparksfoundation.org
or 724.327.7627.
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Explore biking in Allegheny County Parks!
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Cycling in Harrison Hills
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It's not news to cycling enthusiasts but the sport has gained lots of new fans in the past few months. If you're lucky to own a bike already - because we're hearing that new ones are scarce - explore the nine Allegheny County Parks with their wide variety of single- and double-track trails and terrain to suit every skill level. Follow the link below for information on how to navigate all nine parks.
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Explore nature from home.
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The clever
Allegheny County Park Rangers
have found lots of fun ways to share the wonders of nature with kids of all ages - even if they have to stay home. They've developed activities that teach children about the natural world and pique their interest for venturing into the nine Allegheny County parks!
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Making lots of Amazon purchases these days?
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Whenever you make a purchase on
Amazon Smile
, select the
Allegheny County Parks Foundation
as your charity recipient. At no cost to you, the AmazonSmile Foundation will make a donation to the Parks Foundation! It's a simple click away.
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Boyce Park | Deer Lakes Park | Harrison Hills Park | Hartwood Acres Park
North Park | Round Hill Park | Settlers Cabin Park | South Park | White Oak Park
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Allegheny County Parks Foundation | 675 Old Frankstown Road | Pittsburgh, PA 15239
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