Urban EcoSteward Program

 

The Urban EcoSteward program is coordinated by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, the Frick Environmental Center, the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, the Mount Washington Community Development Corporation, Allegheny Cleanways, and the Allegheny Land Trust. Urban EcoStewards give back to their communities by adopting a specific section of park land that they agree to maintain.  Stewards receive training from Parks Conservancy staff and other program partners and visit their site throughout the year to remove invasive species, plant native flora, slow erosion, and clean up trash.  EcoStewards report to a coordinator, who will accompany them on at least one site visit per year to determine maintenance needs.

If you want to get involved, please contact Taiji Nelson at 412-682-7275 x232 or tnelson@pittsburghparks.org.

For more information, you can view or download the Urban EcoSteward brochure by clicking here, or apply to the program here.

Click below to learn more about the following:

Training Dates and Events
Recording Your Hours
Downloadable Reference Forms
Invasive Plants References

Upcoming Events

Spring volunteer work days start up in March. Check out the schedule and help keep our parks beautiful. 

See photos of the restoration progress at Mellon Square on our Flickr site.

Stay up-to-date with our current projects on our blog.

Info for Volunteers

What to bring: Long pants, closed-toe shoes with good tread, all-weather clothing, a reusable water bottle (if you have one).

What will be provided: All necessary tools, gloves, materials, snacks, and instruction.

What to expect:  Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy volunteer work days are typically 4 hours long, rain or shine, and involve some type of ecological restoration work such as planting trees or wildflowers, controlling erosion, building trails, managing invasive species, or cleaning up dumpsites. We’ll teach you everything you need to know about safety and technique, provide you with tools and materials, and help you make a difference in our amazing parks. Expect to have fun, meet people who love the outdoors, and get dirty!