Celebrating Earth Month
At the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, every day is Earth Day! Celebrating Earth Day is something each one of us can do daily. And at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, we understand the importance of protecting and honoring the planet.
Together, let's honor our planet and leave it better than we found it. Whether litter picking in the parks, participating in a virtual event, or supporting the Parks Conservancy by giving a gift to restore Pittsburgh's parks system to excellence, there's something for everyone to do this Earth Day...and every day!
Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Green Mountain Energy for supporting this year's Earth Month festivities!
Wildlife Encounter
When: Saturday, April 2 @ 11:00 A.M.
Where: Phillips Park
What: Learn about and meet a live animal ambassador from the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh! Our education team leads an interactive presentation with an education ambassador animal, discussing the native PA animals’ natural history, adaptations, rehabilitation story, and more!
Click here to register.
Dance and Be Fit with Roland Ford
When: Saturday, April 2 @ 2:00 P.M.
Where: Mellon Park North Basketball Court
What: Join Roland of Dance & Be Fit and get your body active during Earth Month! These movements are inclusive to all and will have you feeling great!
Click here to register.
Friends of Philips Park Clean Up
When: Sunday, April 3 @ 10:30 A.M.
Where: Phillips Park
What: This event is hosted by the Friends of Phillips Park and Parks Conservancy with support from the Citiparks staff at the Phillips Park Rec Center! Tasks will include litter picking throughout the park and neighborhood, invasive plant removal, mulching of the entrance to the rec center and weeding the Veteran's memorial.
Click here to register.
What the Muck?! Annual Lake Elizabeth Clean Up
When: Tuesday, April 5 @ 8:30 A.M.
Where: Allegheny Commons Park
What: Year after year, dozens of volunteers join the effort to clean the beloved Lake Elizabeth in Allegheny Commons Park. This is THE dirtiest volunteer event of the year! Are you up to the challenge?
Click here to register.
Forest Bathing
When: Tuesday, April 5 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: What is Forest Bathing? Well, it is not a nature walk or a fitness hike. It is a 90 minute guided visit into the natural world where we will slow down, awaken our senses and nurture our relationship with nature. Through a series of invitations, you will find your own ways of connecting with nature as you relax into being present with the sights, smells, sounds, textures, and tastes of the woods. There’s no rush and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Simply come as you are and witness the beauty of your own relationship with nature. Come and celebrate the earth with others!
Click here to register.
What the Muck?! Annual Lake Elizabeth Clean Up
When: Wednesday, April 6 @ 8:30 A.M.
Where: Allegheny Commons Park
What: Year after year, dozens of volunteers join the effort to clean the beloved Lake Elizabeth in Allegheny Commons Park. This is THE dirtiest volunteer event of the year! Are you up to the challenge?
Click here to register.
Tree Hugger Yoga
When: Wednesday, April 6 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: August Wilson Park
What: Yoga for Tree Huggers is a class that celebrates Earth Day by nodding to the very organisms that help us to breathe easier and stand taller. This gentle yoga class will focus on breathing, meditation, and deepening our connection with Planet Earth.
Click here to register.
"Meet Me in the Park" Children's Activities
When: Thursday, April 7 @ 3:30 P.M.
Where: Westinghouse Park
What: Join us for some family-friendly activities to celebrate Earth Month. Make a kite and fly it in the wind. Decorate binoculars and go on a bird scavenger hunt. Enjoy time outdoors with simple nature activities!
Registration is suggested for this program. Click here to let us know you're coming!
Westinghouse Park Family Tree Hike
When: Thursday, April 7 @ 4:00 P.M.
Where: Westinghouse Park
What: Join the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for an engaging, family-friendly hike around Westinghouse Park! On the hike, we'll focus identifying the variety of tree species in the park. No prior tree identification skills needed!
Click here to register.
What the Muck?! Annual Lake Elizabeth Clean Up
When: Saturday, April 9 @ 9:00 A.M.
Where: Allegheny Commons Park
What: Year after year, dozens of volunteers join the effort to clean the beloved Lake Elizabeth in Allegheny Commons Park. This is THE dirtiest volunteer event of the year! Are you up to the challenge?
Click here to register.
McKinley Park Community Tree Planting
When: Saturday, April 9 @ 9:00 A.M.
Where: McKinley Park
What: Join your friends from UrbanKind Institute, Tree Pittsburgh, Student Conservation Association, and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for a community tree planting project at McKinley Park.
Click here to register.
Hill Hike - CANCELLED
When: Saturday, April 9 @ 11:00 A.M.
Where: August Wilson Park
What: Join Kim for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s second urban Hill District Hike. We’ll begin in August Wilson park, honoring the brilliant playwright, and continue through a 2.5 mile loop of the Hill. We’ll stop along the way to pay our respects to historic landmarks and colorful murals while listening to the tunes of famous Pittsburgh Jazz musicians.
Click here to register.
Wild Edibles Walk
When: Saturday, April 9 @ 1:00 P.M.
Where: Bandi Schaum Community Garden
What: We will identify wild edible plants and discuss how to harvest them and use as food. This hike/activity is best for families with older children (ages 8+).
Click here to register.
Story Hike: Hiking Day
When: Sunday, April 10 @ 10:00 A.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: Come out for a Hiking Day in Frick Park! Join a naturalist educator for a reading of Hiking Day by Anne Rockwell and a guided hike along the trails.
Click here to register.
Story Hike: Wild Ones
When: Sunday, April 10 @ 1:00 P.M.
Where: Allegheny Commons Park
What: The city is a unique habitat full of animals that have adapted to live alongside humans. Join a naturalist educator for a reading of Wild Ones: Observing City Critters by Carol L. Malnor and search for critters in Allegheny Commons.
Click here to register.
Birding Pittsburgh's Parks
When: Monday, April 11 @ 8:00 A.M.
Where: Allegheny Commons Park
What: Join Naturalist Educator Stephen Bucklin on a birding walk in Allegheny Commons. No prior experience required, and binoculars will be available for those who would like to borrow a pair for the walk. This month's walk will meet at the Patricia Rooney Memorial Fountain. Meeting location changes month to month.
Click here to register.
Forest Bathing - SOLD OUT
When: Tuesday, April 12 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: What is Forest Bathing? Well, it is not a nature walk or a fitness hike. It is a 90 minute guided visit into the natural world where we will slow down, awaken our senses and nurture our relationship with nature. Through a series of invitations, you will find your own ways of connecting with nature as you relax into being present with the sights, smells, sounds, textures, and tastes of the woods. There’s no rush and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Simply come as you are and witness the beauty of your own relationship with nature. Come and celebrate the earth with others!
Click here to register.
Tree Hugger Yoga
When: Wednesday, April 13 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: McKinley Park
What: Yoga for Tree Huggers is a class that celebrates Earth Day by nodding to the very organisms that help us to breathe easier and stand taller. This gentle yoga class will focus on breathing, meditation, and deepening our connection with Planet Earth.
Click here to register.
Full Moon Party & Hike
When: Wednesday, April 13 @ 8:00 P.M.
Where: Emerald View Park
What: One of the things that makes Earth special is our beautiful, bright moon! Learn about how with the City of Pittsburgh Park Rangers. Join us to an up close view of its craters while it's nearly full through a telescope, discuss what the moon means to us, and/or take a walk on the trails using its light as our guide!
Click here to register.
Spring Wildflower Hike - SOLD OUT
When: Saturday, April 16 @ 10:00 A.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: Enjoy the spectacular displays of spring wildflowers found in Frick Park. This leisurely paced 1.5-mile hike will focus on viewing and identifying the many types of wildflowers found in Frick Park, including Virginia bluebell, spring-beauty, trout-lily, and white trillium.
Click here to register.
Frick Environmental Center Tour
When: Saturday, April 16 @ 10:30 A.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: Join us to explore the Frick Environmental Center (FEC), one of the greenest public buildings in the world. With both Living Building Challenge and LEED Platinum certifications, FEC is a project that demonstrates how our buildings can create more energy than they use, improve human health, and benefit our environment!
Click here to register.
Planting Beans from Seeds - CANCELLED
When: Saturday, April 16 @ 12:00 P.M.
Where: McKinley Park
What: Come join Soil Sisters for a season starting discussion and demonstration. We’ll share gardening tips on how to plant and care for beans! This hike/activity is truly for all ages!
Click here to register.
Wild Edibles Walk - SOLD OUT
When: Saturday, April 16 @ 1:00 P.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center Fountain
What: We will identify wild edible plants and discuss how to harvest them and use as food. This hike/activity is best for families with older children (ages 8+).
Click here to register.
Dance and Be Fit with Roland Ford
When: Saturday, April 16 @ 3:00 P.M.
Where: McKinley Park
What: Join Roland of Dance & Be Fit and get your body active during Earth Month! These movements are inclusive to all and will have you feeling great!
Click here to register.
Hike with a Naturalist: Spring Mushrooms in Frick Park - SOLD OUT
When: Sunday, April 17 @ 10:00 A.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: Join Naturalist Educator and President of the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club Stephen Bucklin on a walk through Frick Park to learn about the different species found in spring, how to identify them, and what these different fungi are up to in our parks.
Click here to register.
Beginner Mushroom Walk - SOLD OUT
When: Sunday, April 17 @ 2:00 P.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: Join Naturalist Educator and President of the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club Stephen Bucklin on a walk through Frick Park to learn about the different species found in spring, how to identify them, and what these different fungi are up to in our parks. This walk will be geared towards beginners and folks in the deaf and hard of hearing community. An ASL interpreter will accompany Stephen on this walk.
Click here to register.
Forest Bathing - SOLD OUT
When: Tuesday, April 19 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: What is Forest Bathing? Well, it is not a nature walk or a fitness hike. It is a 90 minute guided visit into the natural world where we will slow down, awaken our senses and nurture our relationship with nature. Through a series of invitations, you will find your own ways of connecting with nature as you relax into being present with the sights, smells, sounds, textures, and tastes of the woods. There’s no rush and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Simply come as you are and witness the beauty of your own relationship with nature. Come and celebrate the earth with others!
Click here to register.
"Meet Me in the Park" Children's Activities
When: Wednesday, April 20 @ 3:30 P.M.
Where: Sheraden Park
What: Join us for some family-friendly activities to celebrate Earth Month. Make a kite and fly it in the wind. Decorate binoculars and go on a bird scavenger hunt. Enjoy time outdoors with simple nature activities!
Registration is suggested for this program. Click here to let us know you're coming!
Tree Hugger Yoga
When: Wednesday, April 20 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: Sheraden Park
What: Yoga for Tree Huggers is a class that celebrates Earth Day by nodding to the very organisms that help us to breathe easier and stand taller. This gentle yoga class will focus on breathing, meditation, and deepening our connection with Planet Earth.
Click here to register.
Plant Walk - CANCELLED
When: Thursday, April 21 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: McKinley Park
What: On this walk, we will learn how to identify local edible and medicinal plants, review safe and ethical foraging practices, and connect with the plant life of our region. Participants mayn want to bring a notebook and water bottle (both optional).
Click here to register.
"Meet Me in the Park" Children's Activities
When: Friday, April 22 @ 4:00 P.M.
Where: Schenley Plaza (near the PNC Carousel)
What: Join us for some family-friendly activities to celebrate Earth Month. Make a kite and fly it in the wind. Decorate binoculars and go on a bird scavenger hunt. Enjoy time outdoors with simple nature activities!
Registration is suggested for this program. Click here to let us know you're coming!
Accessible Birding for Beginners
When: Saturday, April 23 @ 9:00 A.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: Join us for a casual morning of watching, listening to, and enjoying birds! This event is designed to be intentionally inclusive and accessible for beginner birders and folks who experience accessibility challenges as a result of a disability or other health concerns. With that said, all are welcome to attend. Instead of a long hike, we will spend our time on the paved paths near the bird feeders of the Frick Environmental Center, utilizing elevators as needed to access lower levels of the building for different views of the birds. Extra binoculars, folding chairs, coffee, and tea will be available for attendees.
Click here to register.
Pittsburgh's Early History Hike
When: Saturday, April 23 @ 1:00 P.M.
Where: Grandview Park (Meet at the Guyasuta, George Washington statue along Grandview Ave. in MT. Washington.)
What: People often think that Pittsburgh history begins with the steel industry and the period of heavy pollution. But it was the 100 years prior to this time that is perhaps even more interesting when it was a vital focal point on the old frontier. Please join living historian and community activist, John McNulty, as we explore the dramatic and often times tumultuous beginning of this unique city while traversing some of its most beautiful and scenic terrain in Grandview Park.
This hike/activity is best for adults only (ages 14+). The path of this hike will be a combination of crushed stone, dirt path and side walk with modest elevation changes. This hike will be close to 3 miles.
Click here to register.
Tree Hugger Yoga
When: Sunday, April 24 @ 11:00 A.M.
Where: Allegheny Commons Park
What: Yoga for Tree Huggers is a class that celebrates Earth Day by nodding to the very organisms that help us to breathe easier and stand taller. This gentle yoga class will focus on breathing, meditation, and deepening our connection with Planet Earth.
Click here to register.
ASL Frick Environmental Center Tour
When: Sunday, April 24 @ 12:00 P.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: Join us to explore the Frick Environmental Center (FEC), one of the greenest public buildings in the world. With both Living Building Challenge and LEED Platinum certifications, FEC is a project that demonstrates how our buildings can create more energy than they use, improve human health, and benefit our environment! An ASL Interpreter will be available for the tour.
Click here to register.
Earth Month Concert
When: Sunday, April 24 @ 1:30 P.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: Wrap up the celebration of Earth Month with a concert in Frick Park! Pre-register your spot in the park to catch live, local music! Featuring local artists and celebrating our local parks, this concert is powered by solar energy from sustainable energy partner ZeroFossil. Please register in advance for yourself and invite your friends! Social Distancing and masks are encouraged.
Click here to register.
Forest Bathing
When: Tuesday, April 26 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: Frick Environmental Center
What: What is Forest Bathing? Well, it is not a nature walk or a fitness hike. It is a 90 minute guided visit into the natural world where we will slow down, awaken our senses and nurture our relationship with nature. Through a series of invitations, you will find your own ways of connecting with nature as you relax into being present with the sights, smells, sounds, textures, and tastes of the woods. There’s no rush and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Simply come as you are and witness the beauty of your own relationship with nature. Come and celebrate the earth with others!
Click here to register.
Tree Hugger Yoga
When: Wednesday, April 27 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: Mellon Park
What: Yoga for Tree Huggers is a class that celebrates Earth Day by nodding to the very organisms that help us to breathe easier and stand taller. This gentle yoga class will focus on breathing, meditation, and deepening our connection with Planet Earth.
Click here to register.
Plant Walk
When: Thursday, April 28 @ 6:00 P.M.
Where: Riverview Park
What: On this walk, we will learn how to identify local edible and medicinal plants, review safe and ethical foraging practices, and connect with the plant life of our region. Participants may want to bring a notebook and water bottle (both optional).
Click here to register.
City Nature Challenge
When: Saturday, April 30 @ 12:00 P.M.
Where: August Wilson Park
What: Join naturalists from the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy at August Wilson Park to explore some of the different types of plants, animals, fungi, and other fascinating organisms that call our city home. Learn how to use the iNaturalist app on your smartphone to document the things living in and around your neighborhood – the observations we make on this walk will count towards Pittsburgh’s stats in the City Nature Challenge, a weekend-long annual global BioBlitz. *Please note there will be a block party happening that day and you will not be able to park close to the park*
Click here to register.
Park Champions: Solo Park Clean Ups
Parks and green spaces have meant so much to so many throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Parks are here for us during these unprecedented times and now it's time for us to give back to them. Please consider giving back to one of Pittsburgh's many parks through a unique volunteer clean up effort. Not only are you helping to care for the parks, but you also have the chance to explore a new park or trail at the same time!
Click here to begin.
Agents of Discovery - Hike-U Mission
Through April, download the Agents of Discovery Hike-U mission and embark on a challenge to create a hike-inspired poem. Starting at the Frick Environmental Center's fountain, the app will guide you on a hike to use your senses as you walk the woodland trail and use your experience to create a haiku.
Discover Simple Treasures In Your Neighborhood
Enjoy a nature-themed scavenger hunt from the comfort of your home or at your neighborhood parks!
Click here to begin exploring!
WE ARE ALL IN. ARE YOU?
Pittsburghers need parks. They're where families create lasting memories together, where people of all ages connect to nature, and where all of us can simply enjoy a breath of fresh air. Parks, in return, do more than we realize. They clean the air, filter stormwater, lower stress, and provide a natural sanctuary.
We believe in the power of parks. We are all in. Are you?