Diversity in nature, celebrating Black History Month in the parks

Celebrate Black History Month with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy! Throughout the month of February, we will be highlighting the legacy and contributions of African Americans in Pittsburgh’s parks. Follow along online or attend an upcoming program as we recognize the lasting accomplishments of African Americans in Pittsburgh’s parks and the greater conservation movement.

Also, this month and beyond, we will we be shining a spotlight on the achievements of the team here at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Today, we’d like to introduce you to Nyjah Cephas, a naturalist educator for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Through her work at the Frick Environmental Center, Nyjah is inspiring others by helping to create a more inclusive community of nature lovers. Through a partnership with Carnegie Museums, our naturalist educators are creating a more welcoming environment for people of color in the parks. Click on the link below to learn more about Nyjah’s story and her work to provide opportunities for more people to enjoy nature.

Photo source: Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

This Valentine’s Day, give back with park perennials

What better way to show that your love endures than to plant perennials in the parks that will last a lifetime? This Valentine’s Day, make a gift to the Perennial Fund to have flowers planted in a loved one’s name. Better than buying a bouquet that you would toss after a few days, these perennials will bloom year after year, a sign of your perpetual love. 

Winter programs are still in full force

Winter has been rather mild so far, but our programming is anything but. Check out the Winter Programming Guide linked below to keep you active and engaged outside. You can join us for a birding walk in Highland Park, take a break and play board games at the Schenley Park Visitor Center, or bring the kids to Animal Discovery Time at the Frick Environmental Center. There’s something for everyone!

Pick up trash, make the parks pretty

Calling all volunteers! Do you enjoy the parks and want to help us keep them scenic and serene? If you’d like to pitch in, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the Woods Run Taskforce are hosting a cleanup day of the Woods Run Watershed on the City’s Northside on Saturday, February 18th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Can’t join us this month? No worries! This is a monthly event held every third Saturday of the month. You can sign up using the link below.

Jr. Garden Buds: The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver 

In celebration of Black History Month, our naturalists educators are offering a compelling reading of The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver at the Frick Environmental Center. Bring the kids to our cozy classroom where they will participate in a hands-on art project inspired by nature, after the reading. The event will take place on Saturday, February 18th from 10:00-11:30 a.m. 

Photo source: Ed Massery

Summer camp registration opens this month!

If you’re already thinking about ways the kids can get out of the house once the warm weather arrives, we’ve got you covered. During our summer camps, our naturalist educators will teach kids about the joy of engaging with nature, through tactile activities, in the great outdoors of Frick Park. All adventures are age appropriate, like digging for worms with Kindergarteners and learning survival skills for pre-teens.

This year, registration will open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 22nd. Camperships are currently available for qualifying families and are being accepted until summer. These can be found on our summer camp webpage. Apply for these before camps fill up.   

Revitalizing the beloved Walled Garden at Mellon Park

In partnership with the City of Pittsburgh and Friends of Mellon Park, we are thrilled to announce that work on the first phase of a new restoration project in the Walled Garden at Mellon Park will begin this month. This first phase of work will repair and restore the sandstone paver pathways on the perimeter of the garden, address shifting and settling of the pavers, and ensure that the stones remain sturdily in place. The garden will be closed during construction, which is anticipated to begin in mid-February or early March as weather allows and will be complete by the end of April 2023.