WPC Staff
Caitlin Waddington
Community Greening Horticultural Coordinator
A lot of ducks need to be in a row for our gardens to grow!
“People would be shocked to know how far in advance our community greening team works,” says Caitlin Waddington, WPC’s community greening horticultural coordinator since 2024. “By the end of September I had already ordered the garden annuals for next summer and was working on the summer display!” she says, noting, “Our growers need plenty of notice to grow the beautiful product.”
Caitlin, who has a B. A. in Environmental Science from Allegheny College, designs the Conservancy’s 130 community gardens that beautify communities across the region, as well as nearly 600 street planters on Pittsburgh’s streets, and nearly 700 hanging baskets in Pittsburgh and Kittanning. She orders plants and materials and coordinates their delivery and installation.
The job’s not all plotting and planning, though. On any given day, “I might check planters, remove summer annuals from gardens, design a new perennial garden or visit sites anywhere from Erie to Harrisburg!”
The team recently finished removing invasive plants from more than two dozen garden beds and redesigning the gardens to incorporate native pollinator beds, thanks to a two-year grant from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
“We’re looking forward to the NFL Draft in 2026!” Caitlin says, noting that the greening team is working closely with growers to bring vibrant spring color to downtown Pittsburgh and the North Shore. There will be a “revived garden, an additional spring planter display and—for the first time ever—spring hanging baskets.”
Despite the sunshine and flowers, garden work isn’t always pretty. “Planters get damaged or construction takes over, and we lose some of our hard work,” she says. Yet she’s continually inspired. “Funders stay engaged, community members approach us with new ideas and boroughs want us to work in their spaces.”
Caitlin considers it a gift to be able to give back to her community in a tangible way. “I get to coordinate the transformation of generous gifts from funders into beloved greenspaces across Western Pennsylvania!”
The following lists some of the ways you can volunteer at the Conservancy. We welcome volunteers to help in our community flower gardens, plant trees or maintain our preserves and trails, among other tasks. View a list of our current or upcoming volunteer opportunities and register for one today.