We are a member-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring the region’s waters, forests, natural areas and wildlife, planting community trees, gardens and greenspaces, and caring for Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.
Volunteer with Us to Protect Water, Land and Wildlife
Thousands of volunteers donate their time and talents to the Conservancy annually to protect nature and help wildlife thrive. (In 2021, 7,205 people volunteered!) During April, National Volunteer Month and Earth Month, we honor and thank them for their enthusiastic service.
Our volunteers plant trees that provide shade for people and wildlife, plant gardens for communities and pollinators, and build trails so people of all ages can enjoy nature. Some maintain records and photograph our work. At
Fallingwater, volunteers help in various departments such as collections, education and landscaping. And those are just a few of the tasks they perform!
We simply could not do all we do without our volunteers’ caring, helping hands. We hopethese profilesof some of our dedicated past and
present volunteers inspire you. Will you join them in conserving land and water, helping wildlife, greening communities and preserving Fallingwater?
Tucked amongst rocks on a river bottom, freshwater mussels are barely noticeable, but are prominent workhorses of the water, filtering pollutants and providing food for wildlife. Join the Conservancy’s science staff on Earth Day, April 22, at noon for a talk about mussels, our work involving them and how you can help protect these important mollusks.
Bike or stroll along downtown Pittsburgh's rivers now through mid-April and enjoy eyepopping splashes of pink blossoms. Since 2016, partners and volunteers have helped us plant native
redbud trees that burst forth each spring with vibrant blooms.Check out thisinteractive mapof where redbuds bloom and view our 2021 webinar celebrating the Pittsburgh Redbud Project.
Get Funds, Technical Assistance for Canoe Access Sites
Did you know your organization can receive up to $5,000 to build or improve a canoe access site, and get technical assistance, too? Help paddlers and other water enthusiasts get on the water. Apply for the Canoe Access Development Fund by May 3. And, download our free Canoe Access Development Guide full of resources and planning considerations.
Join Fallingwater Webinar: Beauty, Neuroscience and Architecture
Explore how beauty makes a vital difference in our lives, including improving our health, in this April 26 webinar at noon. Donald Ruggles, practicing architect and CEO of Ruggles Mabe Studio, suggests an urgent effort is needed to refocus the direction of architecture and art to include the quality of beauty as a fundamental theme in the built and artistic environments.
What do pulling invasives, celebrating “balloon-free” and making baby food have in common? They are ways to “Make every day Earth Day!” Each April, the
world celebrates Earth Month and each April 22, Earth Day, but with small and large efforts we can conserveour water, land and wildlife year round. Read some personal tips from Conservancy staff members.
Download Images for Your Desktop or Virtual Meeting
These snow-white trillium bloom in abundance at our Wolf Creek Narrows Natural
Area in Butler County. Eventually they turn pink and then fade. The pollinated plants produce fruit, the seeds of which have a fleshy protuberance that is food for ants, which transport the seeds to new places on the forest floor. Download spring images related to WPC’s work for your virtual meetings or desktop background.
In celebration of Earth Month and Earth Day, we are featuring a special collection created by Mary Mack Prints, the printmaking imprint of Pittsburgh artist Mary Tremonte. Mary’s collection draws upon her in-depth research at Fallingwater of Bear Run Nature Reserve’s
seasonal flora. The designs are rooted in her brush-and-ink drawings based on close observation, and then transformed into beautiful objects for everyday use.
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
800 Waterfront Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
United States
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and 100% of your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.