Pittsburgh, Pa. – August 26, 2021 – The fall months offer prime opportunities for nature lovers to experience a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, nature exploring, fishing and birding on Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s 41 nature preserves located across the region. An August 31 webinar will provide more information on the preserves as well as volunteer opportunities and the 41 Places campaign.
For decades, the Conservancy has welcomed thousands of people to explore nature at its preserves, which are free and open to the public, and today offer more than 13,000 acres of forests, streams, wetlands, open meadows and unique natural features in 16 counties across the region. For hikers, walkers and explorers, the Conservancy maintains a total of approximately 40 miles of hiking trails on its preserves. Located near cities and towns as well as in rural areas, the Conservancy’s 41 preserves also provide wildlife habitat and help contribute to cleaner air and water in the region.
Registration is available now for the free August 31 webinar, which will share more details about where the preserves are located and what unique features to see while hiking and exploring them. The public can register today for the noon webinar at WaterLandLife.org.
To help these important natural places thrive, the Conservancy launched a fundraising and awareness campaign, called 41 Places: Nature Near You Needs You, last month to support efforts to steward the preserves. These efforts include removing invasive plants, improving accessibility and maintaining trails. The Conservancy’s land stewardship staff of four, led by director Andy Zadnik and supported by a team of dedicated volunteers, is responsible for managing and caring for the preserves.
“There’s always a significant amount of work to do to address urgent needs and ongoing care of every preserve,” says Zadnik. “That’s why the help from our members and volunteers is needed and appreciated so that the environmental and recreational benefits of these natural places can endure for years to come.”
People can learn more about the Conservancy’s 41 preserves and how to get involved in caring for them at WaterLandLife.org/41placespress.
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About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) enhances the region by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped to establish 11 state parks, conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams. The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, which is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List and symbolizes people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns through 132 community gardens and other green spaces that are planted with the help of more than 5,000 volunteers. The work of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is accomplished through the support of more than 9,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org or Fallingwater.org.
Media Contact:
Carmen Bray
Director of Communications for WPC
412-586-2358
cbray@paconserve.org