The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

We be-leaf in the power of volunteers! ?????? ?? Everyone is welcome to improve neighborhoods by planting trees ?????? with us in Squirrel Hill, Highland Park and East Liberty on Saturday, December 7. Check out the details and register: bit.ly/2pcZ9zE. Feel free to share! Can't help that weekend? Join us on the South Side or in Mt. Oliver or Allentown on December 14. Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition #volunteer #ClimateChange #ATreeCan #Trees #PlantATree #stormwaterManagement #justice40

It's time for our Tuesday feature on how some animals found on our preserves prep for cold weather. ?? Humans are familiar with cold-weather food-caching, a practice where we store food that we bring out for comfort and warmth during the dark and chilly winter months. Our ancient ancestors might have stored nuts, berries or other nonperishable food. We modern humans have food readily available, but still dip into a dish of leftover Halloween candy on our desk, cans of creamy soups in our cupboards or Girl Scout cookies on a pantry shelf that we save to nibble with coffee on cold Saturday mornings! Some birds, including chickadees, nuthatches, jays and some woodpecker such as this red-headed woodpecker, store food for cold weather, too. They "cache" nuts, seeds or even live insects by hiding them under tree bark or dead leaves, or in tree knotholes. They remember where they hid the food so they can access it when needed. If they think another animal saw them hide the food, some birds might hide it again! Have you ever seen a bird caching food when you're out hiking on our preserves?

How can dead wood help fish live their best lives? Watch this short video by Penn State Extension featuring our WPC Watershed Projects Manager Luke Bobnar to find out! https://bit.ly/40TTj91

We're hiring a Senior Director of Operations and Sustainability for Fallingwater to manage the site’s day-to-day operations and improve efficiency and performance across programs. Learn more and apply, or share with someone who might be interested ?? https://bit.ly/4hQVeRL

Join us Dec. 4 at 12 p.m. ET to learn more about WPC's various projects that continue to safeguard and restore the Allegheny River, PA’s 2024 River of the Year, for future generations to enjoy: https://bit.ly/3UBUi9K Can't attend the webinar? Register and we'll send you a link to watch at your convenience. Since 1965, our land conservation work in the watershed has supported the Allegheny River and its recovery by conserving land to protect habitats and biodiversity. And our on-the-ground watershed work restores the river and its tributaries to improve water quality for people and wildlife.

Let us know what steps have you taken to improve water quality! ??? Have you installed a raingarden or a rainbarrel? ?? Have you planted trees to mitigate stormwater runoff? ?? Do you pick up after pets? ?? Do you avoid pouring cleaning supplies or paint down the drain? Here's another easy step: Now that cold weather is upon us, remember to choose the most water-friendly deicer! Here are some tips from our friends at Penn State Extension https://bit.ly/3UNxJPE

Visiting downtown Pittsburgh for Light Up Night? Look for our 420 downtown planters all decked out for winter and the holidays with hollies, gold mop, vintage chamaecyparis and junipers! Thanks to Colcom Foundation for generously sponsoring our planters since 2008. Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership Visit Pittsburgh

Each Wednesday during this month of Thanksgiving, when we reflect on the things we are grateful for, we'll focus on something our volunteers, partners and members helped us accomplish in 2024. In 2024, as of November 1, our watershed conservation team, with partners and volunteers, have conserved or restored 38 miles of stream, completed 36 stream restoration projects and planted 21,960 native riparian trees along streams to improve water quality! Shown is a streambank restoration project on the Clarion River at Clear Creek State Park that we did in partnership with Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Jefferson County Conservation District. We're thankful for all of our partners and volunteers in conservation and for our members and funders, who make this work possible!

Are you visiting Fallingwater this fall? Take a few moments to relax and reflect on the surroundings. Throughout the grounds, you'll find benches where you can enjoy unique views of the landscape and listen to the soothing sound of Bear Run’s flowing water. One special spot for reflection is a bench next to Bear Run, shown here, that is dedicated to Professor George Longenecker, Fallingwater's longtime landscape intern advisor who passed away in 2023. Make reservations today to visit Fallingwater before the year ends: https://bit.ly/3kKmoxx #Fallingwater #nature #organicArtchitecture #architecture #BearRunNatureReserve

It's time for our Tuesday feature on how some animals prep for cold weather. ?? Piping plover at Presque Isle State Park in Erie migrate south ?? for the winter, just as many other birds do. But the females get a head start! According to a Pennsylvania Game Commission Facebook post (https://bit.ly/3AwSqYY) females start migrating south to wintering grounds in July, "leaving the male to finish raising the chicks. He'll depart next and then the chicks, usually by the end of August." The post also explains where the birds overwinter: "Piping plover winter along the southeastern Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Florida, west through Texas, and in parts of Mexico and the Caribbean, where they peck marine invertebrates from mudflats and moist sand. They have also been reported on the Yucatan Peninsula in recent years!" WPC, with many partners, helped to monitor the birds and evaluate their habitat, eventually leading to the birds returning to Presque Isle to nest and breed after an absence of about 70 years. #PipingPlover #ErieCounty #PresqueIsleStatePark