Volunteering in Pittsburgh’s Parks | SAP
My green thumb game isn’t strong by any stretch. I don’t have a yard, much less flowerbeds wrapped around a yard. I don’t wake up at dawn to unspool the garden hose and hydrate a specially-manicured lawn while chugging a cup of coffee. I previously owned potted succulents that basically took care of themselves and needed very little human pampering. I’m even lucky to remember to water the amaryllis that sit in my sunny foyer.
While I’m not an avid arborist or gardener - I do understand how this lush, green life provides all of us with food, shelter, breathable air and even clothing. The planet has done so much for us and it’s our responsibility as humans to put the work back into it to keep it going.
The Great Depression brought about President Roosevelt’s call to action to recruit thousands of able-bodied men to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC not only boosted morale during dark times and alleviated unemployment – but it also helped to restore a ravaged nation in dire need of relief and reforestation, wildlife revitalization and, ultimately, ongoing maintenance and protection. World War II brought about the end of the such a wildly successfully experimental conservation program, but the legacy of these men and their tirelessly physical acts of preservation carry on today through the countless organizations across the nation dedicating manpower to restoring the greenery of the very ground we continue to walk today.
Pittsburgh’s chapter of Pride@SAP was seeking volunteer opportunities with which to provide community service. I jumped at the chance to organize a planting event with my peers and reached out to Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy who were more than happy to book our group for an event to plant new saplings around Allegheny Commons Park in the North Shore area.
Our time tree-planting with the amazing PPC crew led by Erin Tobin was truly a learning experience as we were taught the mechanics of planting saplings that will grow up to be as beautiful and lush as the ancestral trees currently rooted around the park.
Thank you Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for giving us a chance to reduce our carbon footprint and put our stamp on nature!
P.S. Click here to see our team in action during our volunteer day!