A key partner in urban beautification efforts across the City of Pittsburgh, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is greening the city to welcome visitors for the 2026 NFL Draft! WPC is refreshing community flower gardens, floral street planters, hanging baskets and urban tree plantings.
Since 2008, with volunteers and partners, WPC has planted more than 42,000 trees in 110 Allegheny County communities to provide shade, absorb stormwater runoff and improve air quality. WPC’s community flower gardens beautify neighborhoods and welcome visitors entering the city through its iconic tunnels.
For decades, WPC has maintained summer hanging baskets along Pittsburgh’s streets and bridges and seasonal street planters along corridors. This spring, WPC refreshed key gardens and is installing spring hanging baskets and black-and-gold themed floral displays in planters.
Ten years ago, WPC launched the Pittsburgh Redbud Project to increase tree canopy, reforest the riverfronts and beautify the landscape. Thousands of native eastern redbud trees will burst forth with vibrant pink blooms again this spring, possibly peaking just as the Draft comes to town!
Join us for a free webinar on April 14 at noon, “Green, Black & Gold: WPC Greens the ‘Burgh!” to learn how these projects have transformed Pittsburgh’s communities. Discover how you can help plant trees and care for gardens!
WPC Senior Director of Community Greening Projects Art DeMeo will the discuss the impact of longstanding greening projects in the city and on the North Shore near Acrisure Stadium. He’ll explain what’s new to see as he reveals WPC’s efforts to green Pittsburgh ahead of the NFL Draft.
WPC Director of Community Greening Projects Marah Fielden will discuss 10 years of the Pittsburgh Redbud Project and highlight how the native trees have transformed the city’s shorelines and provide tips on where to see the blooms.
Can’t attend in person? Register and after the webinar you’ll get a link to watch the recorded webinar.
About the Presenters
Art DeMeo, Senior Director of Community Greening Projects
Art is the senior director of urban forestry & community greening for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Art has worked with the Conservancy for over 20 years. Art is responsible for fundraising and implementation of community gardens, school greening, downtown beautification and urban forestry projects. Prior to joining the Conservancy, Art was the assistant to the director of horticulture for the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation in New York, New York, and was also the horticulture coordinator for a sister organization, the 34th Street Partnership, a coalition of business and residents in the area.
Art holds a bachelor in environmental science specializing in urban and community forestry from Unity College in Unity, Maine.
Marah Fielden, Director of Community Greening Projects
Marah Fielden currently serves as the director of community greening at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. For the past twelve years, she has led the Conservancy’s urban greening work by building community relationships and capacity for tree and garden plantings, school grounds greening, stormwater management implementation and other community-based beautification projects. Early in her career, she served in multiple roles through Student Conservation Association, including working with the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and also with the US National Fish & Wildlife Service. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, hunting and hiking with her husband and two children.
Marah holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.