water, land, life
WPC's Monthly eNewsletter

WPC Protects Historic Farm on Earth Day for Farmland Access Initiative


On Earth Day, April 22, the Conservancy acquired a 27-acre farm in Westmoreland County as part of its Farmland Access Initiative (FAI). The historic farm in South Huntingdon Township, near New Stanton, has been used as farmland since 1827. The farms in the FAI support the local food economy by making land more accessible to farmers, who seek to provide food for restaurants, farmers markets and food distributors in the Pittsburgh region. We already have locations in Mercer County and Lawrence County where farmers are leasing farmland to raise livestock or produce crops for food distribution. Learn more about this new farm! And if you are a farmer looking to lease land, let us know!

Love Nature? Please Donate for #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5
Instantly turn $25 into $50!
  
 

Your gift will go twice as far  
thanks to $15,000 in matching funds from generous WPC donors!

 

You value the green spaces, rivers and streams, natural areas and gardens that WPC maintains, protects and restores. Now nature urgently needs your help. COVID-19 has severely limited our ability to help nature thrive and share Fallingwater with the world due to its closure. 
Please donate today, on May 5 or at any time to protect the places you love.
Bring Joy to the Region: Volunteer to Plant Gardens, Steward Land
 
Our community gardens, properties and trails bring joy to many people, but it takes a community to maintain them. Volunteer to help us plant community flower gardens beginning May 15. We’ll let you know if volunteer sessions are canceled or rescheduled. Watch for upcoming land stewardship opportunities in the summer. For now, we love having you out and about on our properties. Please help maintain our preserves by cleaning up after your pet and carrying out your trash!
 
May 15 Facebook Live Concert to Benefit Fallingwater
 
Join us for a special Fallingwater fundraiser, an evening of music with Grammy Award winner Mike Block, a cello player, singer and composer. This free concert, presented live on Facebook on May 15 at 8:30 p.m. EST, will feature an eclectic mix of original compositions, songs, arrangements of traditional music and classical selections. Donations are welcomed to raise much-needed funds for the preservation and maintenance of Fallingwater, which has been closed since March 15 due to COVID-19.
 
Help Give Invasive Species the Boot
 
If left unmanaged, invasive plants and insects can cause lasting damage to our ecosystems, but you can help control many of them! In this series of webinars, learn how you can help identify several common invasive species and document your efforts in iMapInvasives. And sign up for the invasive mugwort pull on June 20 at Frick Park in Pittsburgh.
Register Teens Now for Fallingwater’s Virtual Summer Camps
 
High school students of all skill levels who are interested in art, architecture and design will learn about Fallingwater and Frank Lloyd Wright’s design philosophy during Fallingwater Institute’s Virtual Summer Camps in July. Teens will gain a deeper understanding of Wright’s work during the week-long, online educational programs, which include expert-led group discussions, independent projects and individualized feedback. We promise to make time for s'more eating, too!
WPC and Other Partners to Improve Water Quality, Habitat on Buffalo Creek
 
WPC will join with conservation partners and private landowners to complete streambank restoration projects and aquatic surveys in the Buffalo Creek Watershed in Armstrong and Butler counties. The work is made possible with funding from a $1.17 million grant awarded to the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania and shared by six project partners, including WPC. This effort will help at-risk species and improve water quality, and forest and aquatic habitats.

Sterling Silver Fallingwater Pendant and Chain: A Lovely Mother’s Day Gift


A unique piece of jewelry to be handed down through generations, the sterling silver Fallingwater pendant and chain is a perfect Mother’s Day gift. Drawing inspiration from the house and waterfall, artist Jennifer Wentzel uses the method of lost wax casting to create the pendant exclusively for our Museum Store. Supplies are limited, so order this special piece today! Every purchase in the Museum Store supports Fallingwater’s operations during the COVID-19 closure.

May Desktop Background


Polemonium reptans, also known as Greek valerian, spreading Jacob’s-ladder and stairway to heaven, usually makes its appearance at Wolf Creek Narrows Natural Area near Slippery Rock in Butler County in early May.

Historically, the first two weeks of May have been part of the “peak” of wildflower blooming, but this year has seen earlier blooming. However, a trip to our properties early this month should still yield some lovely views of wildflowers, including wild geranium ( Geranium maculatum), Virginia waterleaf ( Hydrophyllum virginianum) and Jack-in-the-pulpit ( Arisaema triphyllum).

Spring is a great time to get outdoors and enjoy nature’s calming influence, but remember to observe proper social distancing guidelines. Meanwhile, to brighten the hours inside, download our calendar featuring Polemonium reptans
. Download the size you want, then right click on the image to set it as your desktop background.

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Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, 800 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Phone: 412-288-2777, Email: info@paconserve.org


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