Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Seeks Community Gardeners

(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  April 30, 2007).  — Throughout May, thousands of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) volunteers will be making a visible difference in their neighborhoods by planting vibrant community gardens.  The community gardens are part of an ongoing partnership between Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and local community residents in 19 western Pennsylvania counties. The goal of the WPC community garden projects is to enhance and beautify all types of communities by partnering with local residents, the people who can truly make a difference. 

“I think the most encouraging statistic about the community garden program is that more than half of the 4,000 program volunteers are children and youth,” said Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Senior Director of the Community Garden Program Judy Wagner. “That indicates not only that the program is viable today, but that it has the most important element for a strong future.”

WPC’s community gardens have become a signature image of the western Pennsylvania landscape.  Appearing in many varied locations with many different configurations, the gardens provide a backdrop and enhancement for other cultural and civic assets.  The gardens also serve as a hallmark of the region’s beautiful landscape and quality of life. 

Using PennDOT statistics, WPC’s community gardens are seen by motorists an estimated 3.5 million times a day.  Each year, more than 200,000 flowers are planted by volunteers—enough to make a flowerbed stretching from Pittsburgh to the West Virginia border.

If you’re interested in helping improve your community, please contact Garden Coordinator Chris Farber by calling 412 586-2324. To take a virtual tour of all 135 WPC community garden projects, visit www.paconserve.org/gardens.

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About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy:
Since its founding in 1932, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has protected more than 212,000 acres of natural lands in Pennsylvania, restored watersheds and saved natural habitats for a diversity of life and uses.  The Conservancy has been responsible for the founding of six state parks, including Ohiopyle, Laurel Ridge, McConnell’s Mill, Moraine, Oil Creek and Erie Bluffs.  In addition, WPC created the 300-acre Wildflower Reserve at Raccoon Creek State Park, and added land to Blue Knob State Park.

The WPC also preserves Fallingwater®, the masterpiece home designed in 1935 by Frank Lloyd Wright for Edgar J. Kaufmann in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.  In 1963, Edgar Kaufmann jr. (sic) entrusted Fallingwater to the Conservancy.  Today, WPC continues its award winning preservation efforts and offers a wide variety of educational programs to more than 135,000 annual visitors.  The preservation of Fallingwater is a symbol of living in harmony with nature. 

Each year, WPC also partners with 5,000 volunteers and dozens of community organizations and businesses to plant and maintain more than 135 gardens and greening projects in 20 western Pennsylvania counties.

2007 Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. All rights reserved.