Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

Progress!

2011

Chief Executive of Allegheny County Dan Onorato supported the lease of six additional acres. The leased land includes a 1784 log house and an 1855 barn and farmhouse. The entire homestead will be restored and adapted for garden use, which will allow for a creation of a welcome center, office space, and parking facilities. Most importantly, this will provide access to the northern most part of the garden before completion of the reclamation.
Terms to sell the extracted coal were agreed and are on target with plans.
The mine reclamation work undertaken by Mashuda Corporation has merited attention from the Department of Environmental Protection. Our site is now the new standard for re-mining work.
In the Woodlands of the World section, more than 300 native trees have been planted and 10 acres cleared of invasive species in the Appalachian Plateau woodlands – part of a concerted effort to restore the ecosystem and revitalize bird populations.
The Sprout Tree Nursery, complete with greenhouse, shed, and solar powered irrigation, was built.
The Garden secured our first $1 million private grant from the Eden Hall Foundation.

2010

The name of the organization and the garden were changed to Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, based on strategy research conducted among current members and non-members. The website was relaunched to reflect the new name and imagery.
Mashuda Corporation began land reclamation work. The removal of the abandoned mines will heal the land of acidic mine drainage, and prepare it for future garden development. Mashuda began extracting coal from the mines in November. We are selling the coal to pay for the $7.9 million reclamation.
With funds received through a Pennvest grant, the Garden built three permanent irrigation ponds to hold two million gallons of water – enough to carry the gardens through summer dry spells.
The entrance road was widened and improved.
Andrew Baechle, the Director of Allegheny County Department of Parks, helped secure weekend access to the northeast portion of our property through the County’s maintenance facility on Pinkerton Run Road. This gave us the ability to get onto 40 acres of the site to start building permanent gardens at the same time reclamation work is being done.
Construction began on the “Woodlands of the World”, 40 acres to be divided into five distinct woodlands: Asian, European, English, Appalachian Plateau and Cove Forest. Volunteers cleared pathways throughout the late Summer and Fall. Special thanks to volunteers including the Cub Scout Pac 225, TLC Landscaping, and Eichenlaub, Inc.
Eagle Scout candidate Noah Hoffman and his team built steps along the proposed Wildflower trail.
Design work started on a uniquely Pittsburgh garden – the Fred Roger’s Garden of Make Believe. The Fred Rogers Company (Family Communications) allowed us the use of proprietary themes in our family garden. The design firm of Terra Design Studios, a firm specializing in children’s gardens, along educators and volunteers began development of conceptual designs.

2009

We received a Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener II Grant to expand erosion and sedimentation ponds into irrigation ponds.
The permits from Township of Collier, Township of North Fayette and the PA Department of Environmental Protection were approved to allow reclamation to start.

2008

Mashuda Corporation signed a contract to reclaim the initial 72 acres of abandoned mines. The reclamation permit application was submitted to the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection for approval.
35 acres of vegetation were cleared to prepare for reclamation.

2007

A Schematic Design for Phase One of the garden was completed. The Master Plan for the entrance corridor was completed.
A Feasibility study was completed for the initial phase of Capital Campaign.
The first major private donation pledge was made to name a Garden.

2006

The ceremonial groundbreaking was held.
Governor Rendell awarded a $5,000,000 matching grant to BGWP for road building, infrastructure and a visitor center.
With a change in the remediation plan, the lease was re-negotiated with Allegheny County to allow BGWP to remove the coal mines by a process known as reclamation. The owner of the coal beneath the site donated his royalties to the BGWP to help pay for reclamation activities.

2005

Student Conservation Association helped construct the Legacy Trail at the site.
Vernonia noveboracensis ‘Icy Light’ is introduced by the BGWP. The parent plant was found growing in a roadside ditch by John Totten near Moraine State Park. The name ‘Icy Light’ combined reference to the plant’s place of origin near the foot of the ancient glacier from which Moraine State Park derives its name, and the color of its blooms, not deep purple typical of the species, but pale lavender-pink.

2004

Flooding of the abandoned mines beneath the BGWP site following Hurricane Ivan prompted revisions to acid mine discharge (AMD) remediation plans. Complete site reclamation replaced water treatment as the method of permanently cleaning up the AMD and providing a source for irrigation water.
Student Conservation Association (SCA) removed invasive species from the entrance road.

2003

Marshall, Tyler, Rausch team completed a comprehensive Master Plan. The garden was now being referred to as the Botanic Garden of Western Pennsylvania (BGWP). Geoffrey Rausch praised the efforts of all involved in the project by noting “The botanic garden will be your gift to the community.”
An Environmental Restoration Study, a Water Quality Study and an Economic Impact Study were all completed. While the Economic Impact Study by Tripp-Umbach Associates was encouraging, the Water Quality Study identified serious concerns with the Acid Mine Discharge from abandoned coal mines under the site.
Allegheny County acquired an additional 20 acres adjacent to the site and added it to lease, bringing total leased area to 452 acres.
A Development Coordinator was added to the staff.

2002

HSWP hired its first Executive Director.

2001

A national search culminated in the hiring of MTR Landscape Architects (Pittsburgh, PA) and Overland Partners (San Antonio, TX) to oversee the design of the Botanic Garden and its buildings.

1999

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources awarded a $100,000 matching grant to be used for the master site planning of the botanic garden.

1998

HSWP signed a 99-year renewable lease with the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners for 432 acres of land in the southwestern corner of Settler’s Cabin County Park, in North Fayette and Collier Townships. Cheryl Towers, board member and Chair of Land Acquisition, led the negotiation with Allegheny Co.
- Geoffrey Rausch of MTR noted “This property is the essence of Western Pennsylvania. A garden needs to be typical of the topography and history of its location, and this is the best place we’ve evaluated.”
- County Commissioner Bob Cranmer noted that “We have been looking for opportunities to enhance our parks and this project does that by creating an exciting new attraction without expending tax dollars. A thriving botanical garden will become a destination site for visitors… and a business generator for our region’s sizable green industry.”
- Allegheny County Commissioner Mike Dawida concluded, “This is as good a story as has happened to the County.”
A biological assessment study of site was initiated, in partnership with Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Audubon Society. This 10 month intensive survey of the flora and fauna was to produce a detailed inventory of vascular plants and insects, broad site mappings of trees and woody vegetation, plus field identification of birds, mammals, reptiles, fungi, mosses, and lichens.

1997

Allegheny County Commissioners voted to negotiate a lease agreement for a parcel of land in Settlers Cabin Co. Park where the botanic garden could be located. Hugh Brackenridge owned the land in 1781. He was the co-founder of the Pittsburgh Gazette and helped pass legislation to establish Allegheny County. At one point the property was used as a chicken farm and was also the site of significant coal mining in the 1920s.
HSWP hired their first paid employee.
The Western PA Conservancy and HSWP signed a letter of understanding agreeing to cooperate to promote horticulture, conservation and the establishment of a botanic garden.

1996

The HSWP and Pittsburgh Civic Garden Center agreed to become partners with operations, finances and missions remaining separate but to work together on programming, planning, fundraising, special events, board development, marketing and public relations. The hope was to find synergy between the two organizations, allowing each to more effectively pursue its mission. They jointly sponsored the first Western PA Gardening and Landscaping Symposium to explore regional gardening issues with the spotlight on new trends, new ideas and new plants.

1993

The first annual Open Gardens Day tour was held.
The site selection for the Western Pennsylvania Botanical Garden (WPBG) began after the Board of Directors agreed that the creation of the botanic garden had to be the primary focus of the organization. This process was undertaken in cooperation with the landscape architecture firm of Environmental Planning & Design, later Marshall, Tyler and Rausch (MTR). Over 50 parcels of land were identified and assessed as potential candidates. Lindsay Totten led the effort. Five major criteria were used:

Location to be within 25 miles of downtown Pittsburgh,
Regional access to be easy with proximity to four lane highways and good local access over secondary roads,
Acreage to be a minimum of 100 acres, hopefully more, with a minimum of 30-50 acres buildable with less than an 8% slope,
The site should be uniquely Pittsburgh or southwestern PA including pleasing topography or industrial or cultural history,
The price to purchase or acquire the land should be low to nothing so as to save funds for construction.

Additional site criteria used were potential for flooding, presence of hazardous waste, local legal regulations, existing infrastructure and utilities, mineral rights and mining history, soils, geology, hydrology, vegetation, setting, and views into and outside the site.

1992

A botanical garden workshop was convened with city and county government representatives, local funding specialists and economic development, community and professional organizations. Also in attendance were Judith Zuk from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Kris Jarantoski from the Chicago Botanic Garden and Paul Meyer from the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia. Plans were made in each of these areas: Location and site characteristics, marketing, funding, future planning, finance and programming. The first mission statement named the Garden and articulated its goals:

“The Western Pennsylvania Botanical Garden shall be a leader in the stewardship of the Appalachian Highlands landscape and shall encourage and increase the public’s enjoyment and knowledge of plants and horticulture. In addition, the Botanical Garden shall strive to coalesce the public and scientific interests of horticultural, botanical and environmental concerns in this region.”

1991

The HSWP became a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.
Collaborations were initiated with the Pittsburgh Civic Garden Center, Western PA Conservancy, Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Pittsburgh Zoo.
An annual Plant Sale was initiated as a means to recommend outstanding species and varieties of ornamentals that are under-utilized in our region’s gardens.

1988

The Horticultural Society of Western Pennsylvania (HSWP) was founded as “a regional, professional horticultural society” to:

Make decisions that will effect horticultural progress in the tri-state area
Heighten public awareness of horticulture
Increase horticultural knowledge and interest
Improve gardening expertise

The points are from a letter dated July 22, 1988, and sent out by David Quatchak, Michael Masiuk (both of Penn State Cooperative Extension), Jim Pashek (Vice President, PA. Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects), Frank Pizzi (Horticulturist, Pittsburgh Zoo), David Rieger (Chairman, Western PA Section, American Society of Landscape Architects) and Ed Vasilcik (Horticulturist, Phipps Conservatory). These six progressive and forward thinking individuals first met at Max’s Allegheny Tavern. Over beer and bratwurst they realized they had common goals. The letter was an invitation to “organize a vast audience of gardeners and work toward making lasting horticultural improvements, both in our own gardens and in our city, state and region.” In response, the first meeting of the Horticultural Society on August 18, 1988 was attended by over 40 people. They agreed a real need existed for a horticultural society in the tri-state area.

In its first few years, the HSWP focused on hosting speakers knowledgeable in horticulture, held plant sales, and disseminated horticultural information via a newsletter. The HSWP stated goals at this time were “to promote and encourage horticulture and botany, the conservation of natural resources and the establishment and operation of a botanical garden in western PA.”