Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

Improvements made to Parks owned and controlled by the city of Pittsburgh for which no lease has been obtained are expensed as capital project costs. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy capitalizes capital project costs incurred during the renovation and preservation of the Parks when the organization holds a lease or leasehold interest in the properties or land being improved by the project. Physical improvements to the four regional, urban Parks have been dramatic and have won many awards. Over the past nine years, private and public funds have been leveraged in the partnership between ppc and the city of Pittsburgh and resulted in numerous exemplary showcase projects and hundreds of ecologically restored acres designed to return the Parks to their former glory.

Public education and programs: this service program's intent is to increase the public's knowledge about the Parks, their natural and environmental history, ecology, social history and design so that pittsburghers of all ages, especially children, will increase their understanding and appreciation of these spaces. Ppc provides a variety of programs to introduce Pittsburgh residents to the benefits of these great historic urban Parks. In addition, environmental research studies are underway that will benefit both pittsburgh-area ecological restoration and national ecological and horticultural efforts. Ppc also sponsors educational symposia with Pittsburgh partners featuring nationally recognized leaders in the fields of the environment, biodiversity, conservation, Parks restoration and urban ecology to better inform the public about serious issues facing the Parks and the region. Ppc's goal in the long term is to develop the next generation of park stewards.

Park management and maintenance: this service program provides expertise in preserving and maintaining historical landscapes. Natural areas management, horticulture and ecological restoration, project management and outreach. The ppc staff works with the city's department of public works (dpw) to create scope of work based on the regional Parks master plan. The work includes ecological research projects such as the study of the genetic diversity of three populations, the impact of deer on urban parkland and on the organic chemical compounds that trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants exude to inhibit the growth of the neighboring plant species.

Parks planning: this service area's intent is to initiate community projects from the conceptual stage through the development stage. The Parks planning team has a strong community process advocacy area and partners with like-minded organizations for the advancement of shared goals. Additionally, the team seeks out the input of neighborhood and community based organizations. Equitable investment is a key tenant to the Parks planning philosophy. This team manages relationships with elected and appointed officials, contracted government affairs representatives, and community representatives. Part of the planning process is identifying and maintaining institutional support from government and foundations.