Learn about urban forestry in Pittsburgh – Saturday, Oct 10!
Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest will be hosting a casual ride this Saturday to teach about urban forestry in Pittsburgh. The ride will start start in Friendship-Garfield and make it’s way to the South Side, through Downtown, and end in Lawrenceville. There will be the option to walk back to Garfield through the cemetery, in the hopes of harvesting some bur oak acorns… the largest ones in the city are there, according to the organizer.
This ride was originally scheduled in August, but was sadly rained out. Here’s to no rain!
From the organizer: We will be able to disclose a LOT of info about new trees being planted on corridors and in neighborhoods this fall (planting starts Oct. 24th.
Here are the details of the ride:
Where: Meet at Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest Headquarters, 5427 Penn Ave (across from the Quiet Storm). (map)
Description: Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest invites you to ride with us to learn more about the new trees planted along popular commuting routes, bike lanes, and riverfront trails. Includes some stops with tree identification and discussion about trees & traffic. This ride will be partly in traffic, and partly along trails. Helmets are encouraged!
Contact: caitlin@pittsburghforest.org for more info on the ride
Who is FPUF?
Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest, or FPUF for short, is reatively new in the Pittsburgh non-profit community, establishing in 2006 to address the decline of Pittsburgh’s urban forest. Using methods such as community maintenance, planting, education and advocacy, FPUF is working hard to enhance the vitality of Pittsburgh and its citizens.
According to FPUF, the Forestry Division of the Pittsburgh Department of Public Works removes four trees for each one planted. This is mostly due to being critically understaffed, for the most part able to engage only in crisis management. In the 1970s, over thirty people were employed in the Forestry Division; there are now a total of twelve people, including two clerical staff. Because of this, an estimated 20 percent of trees that are planted in city rights of way do not survive five years.
Be sure to come out and learn about urban forestry, and how to get involved. It’s sure to be a great time!
Also, check out their website. It’s full of information about Pittsburgh’s trees and how to get involved.
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