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CALENDAR
| NEWS
| CONSERVATION
CORNER
| RESOURCES
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EVENT:
Gardening Education Program
DATE: Thursday, March 22, 2012 7:00 - 8:00pm
PLACE: Scott
Park Lodge
CONTACT: Jane
Peart Registration
requested |
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The
Scott Conservancy is sponsoring a gardening education program for the
general public on Thursday, March 22 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm at the
Lodge in Scott Park. The cost to addend is just $5.00.
Allegheny
County Penn State Master Gardeners will present "Vegetable
Gardening+" which is one in a continuing series of educational
classes. Growing your own food is one of the most satisfying forms
of gardening. In today's economy, many are now turning to their
backyard vegetable plots to help lessen high grocery bills.
Vegetable gardening provides the opportunity to select the varieties you
like and it provides your family with fresh produce that is free from
harmful pesticides.
This
class will cover the basics of planning your vegetable garden, preparing
the soil, selecting plant and seed varieties, starting plants from seed,
planting, tending your plants, troubleshooting problems, harvesting,
extending the season, getting the most out of small plots, and putting
the garden to bed for the winter.
Information
will also be provided in the areas of Organic Gardening and Edible
Landscaping. Soil test kits will be available for purchase.
Free take-home literature will be on hand covering some general topics
of interest such as lawn management, composting, and native pollinators.
Feel
free to invite friends and family to join you at this event.
Adults only, please. Registration is requested so that adequate
seating can be provided. Registration will close when the limit is
reached, so respond early. Please email Scott
Conservancy. Provide your name and contact information –
email address or telephone number or both. The $5.00 fee will be
collected at the door.
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EVENT:
Trail Maintenance
DATE: Saturday, March 24, 2012 9:00am
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead
CONTACT: Don
McGuirk |
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Meet at
the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road. Enter
this address on GoogleMaps to get driving directions to our trailhead
and volunteer to help us keep your trails maintained. Contact Don
McGuirk for details.
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EVENT:
Earth Day Cleanup
DATE: Saturday, April 21, 2012 9:00am
PLACE: Scott Twp Municipal Building / Kane
Woods
CONTACT: Jane
Sorcan |
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Join in
the Earth Day Festivities at the Scott Township Annual Cleanup and Trail
Cleanup. Volunteer to help your fellow township residents spruce
up the neighborhood, clean litter from the township roads and groom the
Kane Woods Nature Area trails.
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EVENT:
Trail Maintenance
DATE: Saturday, May 19, 2012 9:00am
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead
CONTACT: Don
McGuirk |
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Meet at
the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road. Enter
this address on GoogleMaps to get driving directions to our trailhead
and volunteer to help us keep your trails maintained. Contact Don
McGuirk for details.
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EVENT:
Full Moon Hike and Bonfire
DATE: Late May –
Early June 2012
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead Kane Woods
Nature Area
CONTACT: Jane
Sorcan |
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Join us
at sunset at the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road
for a full moon hike and bonfire. Marshmallows will be
provided.
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EVENT:
Trail Maintenance
DATE: Saturday, June 9, 2012 9:00am
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead
CONTACT: Don
McGuirk |
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Meet at
the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road. Enter
this address on GoogleMaps to get driving directions to our trailhead
and volunteer to help us keep your trails maintained. Contact Don
McGuirk for details.
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EVENT:
Ducky Race
DATE: Wednesday, July 4, 2012
PLACE: Scott Pool at Scott Park
CONTACT: Jane
Sorcan |
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The
Quack Attack is Back! The Scott Conservancy
will be selling 50/50 raffle tickets for our annual "Rubber Ducky
Race." Our main fundraising event will take place at Scott Township
Pool on Wednesday, July 4th.
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EVENT:
Whiskey Rebellion
DATE: Saturday & Sunday, July 14 & 15,
2012
PLACE: Kane Woods Nature Area & Woodville
Plantation Neville House
CONTACT: Jane
Sorcan |
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Join the
soldiers of Wayne's Fourth Sub-Legion as they return to Bower Hill to
re-create the fateful events of the Whiskey Rebellion, as they occurred
in July of 1794.
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EVENT:
Trail Maintenance
DATE: August 2012
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead
CONTACT: Don
McGuirk |
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Meet at
the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road. Enter
this address on GoogleMaps to get driving directions to our trailhead
and volunteer to help us keep your trails maintained. Contact Don
McGuirk for details.
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EVENT:
Annual Members Picnic
DATE: August 2012 5:00 pm till dark
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead Shelter, Kane
Woods Nature Area
CONTACT: Jane
Sorcan |
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The
hillside of late summer wildflowers provides a colorful backdrop for our
members to socialize as they enjoy the hotdogs, hamburgers, a dish to
share and a comfortable chair. Our organization has continued to grow
over the last two decades and has remained true to our mission of
environmental and historical preservation. Join us at Kane Woods Nature
Area Whiskey Point Trailhead shelter for this members only event as we
celebrate our mission and reflect on our success.
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EVENT:
Trail Maintenance
DATE: September 2012
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead
CONTACT: Don
McGuirk |
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Meet at
the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road. Enter
this address on GoogleMaps to get driving directions to our trailhead
and volunteer to help us keep your trails maintained. Contact Don
McGuirk for details.
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EVENT:
Master Gardener Fall Program
DATE: Late September 2012
PLACE: Scott
Park Lodge
CONTACT: Jane
Peart Registration
requested |
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The
Scott Conservancy is again sponsoring the second gardening education
program for the year for the general public at the Lodge in Scott Park,
presented by Allegheny County Penn State Master Gardeners.
Feel
free to invite friends and family to join you at this event. Adults
only, please. Registration is requested so that adequate seating can be
provided. A $5.00 fee will be collected at the door.
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EVENT:
Trail Maintenance
DATE: October 2012
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead
CONTACT: Don
McGuirk |
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Meet at
the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road. Enter
this address on GoogleMaps to get driving directions to our trailhead
and volunteer to help us keep your trails maintained. Contact Don
McGuirk for details.
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EVENT:
Fall Family Event
DATE: October 2012
PLACE: to be determined
CONTACT: Jane
Sorcan |
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Last
year's Halloween Funfest was so much fun for young children and their
families that the conservancy is considering sponsoring another family
fun event this fall. Stay tuned for details.
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EVENT:
Trail Maintenance
DATE: November 2012
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead
CONTACT: Don
McGuirk |
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Meet at
the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road. Enter
this address on GoogleMaps to get driving directions to our trailhead
and volunteer to help us keep your trails maintained. Contact Don
McGuirk for details.
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EVENT:
Annual Meeting
DATE: November 2012
PLACE: Scott Park Lodge
CONTACT: Jane
Sorcan |
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The
Scott Conservancy Annual Meeting held at the Scott Park Lodge in
November is open to both Scott Conservancy members and the general
public. A highlight of the conservancy's activities and
accomplishments over the past year is followed
by a special presentation from a guest speaker.
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EVENT:
Trail Maintenance
DATE: December 2012
PLACE: Whiskey Point Trailhead
CONTACT: Don
McGuirk |
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Meet at
the Whiskey Point Trailhead located at 1461 Scrubgrass Road. Enter
this address on GoogleMaps to get driving directions to our trailhead
and volunteer to help us keep your trails maintained. Contact Don
McGuirk for details.
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CALENDAR
| NEWS
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CONSERVATION
CORNER
| RESOURCES
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The
Making of a River Cube from Trash Harvested in Chartiers Creek
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A canoe trip
inspired by the sort that John Hamm – local environmental activist,
conservationist, boating enthusiast and philanthropist - facilitated on
the Chartiers Creek for decades.
John Hamm's nephew, Nathan Hamm,
approached RiverCubes artist Bob Johnson about making a series of RiverCubes
in honor of his uncle. On the first anniversary of John's
premature death, Scott Conservancy President Don McGuirk, along with
Nathan Hamm and Bob Johnson, scouted a vintage dump on the Chartiers
Creek that John wanted to clean-up. The site is ecologically
sensitive and not very accessible. So, the three designed and built a CanoeBarge
– a human powered modular RiverCube collection device to facilitate these
efforts.
Launched
on a Saturday in October 2011 by a consortium of partners, including
Allegheny CleanWays, PA Fish & Boat Commission, REI, RiverCubes, and
Paddle Without Pollution, with special thanks to Denny Tubbs of the Fish
& Boat Commission for providing canoes and kayaks, this Tireless
event cleared trash from Chartiers Creek and used the collection to
create a new River Cube.
RiverCubes
aims to change the way we relate to and understand waste streams of our
own production by cleaning up the trash in our creek and recycling it
into works of art.
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Scott
Conservancy Annual Meeting
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The Scott Conservancy Annual Meeting
held at the Scott Park Lodge in November is open to both Scott
Conservancy members and the general public. This year, seventeen
people were on hand to witness a special presentation from the
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, in addition to hearing about the conservancy's
activities and accomplishments over the past year. Download
the full annual
report. |
Scott
Conservancy Annual Report Summary
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Status
There are currently 148 active member families in The Scott
Conservancy, including 5 new member families since the last annual
meeting. Bob Gamble and Ed Fogarty were elected to another
term on the board. Jane Peart was appointed to finish the term of
Bob Podurgiel and Sarantos Patrinos is replacing Peggy Grand who
has retired from the board. |
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Land
Acquisition
The conservancy acquired 21 acres of greenspace adjacent to the
Kane Woods last year. The four parcels now have tax exempt
status. These new large meadow areas connect several new
neighborhoods directly with the trails. |
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Kane
Woods Nature Area
Thank you to members, families, friends and a growing list of
community service groups for their efforts in maintaining our
trails. We also purchased a storage shed and placed it in an
area adjacent to Providence Point so that maintenance leaders
could access tools and supplies for our maintenance efforts in the
future. |
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Master
Site Plan
Our plan is compete and has been approved by the Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources to be used as a
guideline for future conservation and improvement efforts of
the Kane Woods Nature Area. The first recommendations on the report were related to drainage
on the existing trails. The focus of trail maintenance this
year was directed to trenching drainage ditches to address this
issue. |
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Events
Kicking off the season on Earth Day, we partnered with Scott
Township Commissioners in a community cleanup of our major
roadways. Conservancy activities continued with spring
garden plantings, through the summer with the Whiskey
Rebellion re-enactment co-sponsored with Woodville Neville House, and the annual member's picnic, culminating
with the fall's Halloween Funfest attended by over 50 children and
their families. We have events and
activities for every season.
You can find out
more about our yearly activities by scrolling through this web page.
The conservancy also promoted education through two Master
Gardener programs in the spring and in the fall. The
programs were well attended due to efforts of our new Educational
Chairperson, Jane Peart. We also hosted an informational tent at
Scott Park during the Fourth of July festivities.
Our Rubber Ducky annual Fourth of July fundraiser was a success
again this year, raising over $800.
Volunteer groups helped maintain the Kane Wood's nature trails
throughout the year. In addition to local scout troops, this
year volunteers from Bayer Corporation worked alongside
conservancy members as part of the United Way's Day of Caring
Program.
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Projects
& Goals
Oversight
of Scrubgrass abandoned mine drainage facility in Scott Township is a
priority, along with continued improvements to the Kane Woods
trails and beautification of the traffic island at Greentree and
Cochran roads. The conservancy plans to expand its educational programs as well
as fundraising at our events. We will work towards implementing the Master Development Plan and
promote our hiking program to other groups with on-line link
sharing of activities. |
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Special
Presentation – Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
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Following the annual meeting, Pittsburgh
Botanic Garden
community outreach coordinator Linda Shatar gave a progress
report on the new garden
currently under construction on 450 acres near the southern end of
Settler’s Cabin County Park. The site is close to Scott Township residents and is just 20 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. We had the
opportunity to see the first phase of construction which includes the
repair of the once stripped and mined land and the current construction underway for this soon to become regional gem.
Linda covered the history,
mission, and progress of the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden:
The site will have 18 thematically distinct gardens, 5 diverse woodland
experiences, a visitor’s center, an amphitheater for outdoor concerts
and performances, a celebration center to accommodate large outdoor or
indoor weddings and events, and a center for botanic research. The
garden will feature regional plants and will offer woodland walks and
hiking trails. It will attract millions of visitors and eventually become
an economic engine for the region. Research suggests the garden can add 75
new jobs with upwards of 1,000 indirect regional jobs and as much as $88
million in revenue within 10 years of operation. An important
mission of this garden is to teach our children to appreciate, respect
and protect the beauty of our environment, preserving it for
generations. It will offer outdoor hands-on experiences to inspire
and educate gardeners and children across our region.
Linda said the garden will
serve as a national Gold Standard in reclamation:
Did you
know that the site is over abandoned mines? A network of coal mines
produces Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) that pollutes the Garden’s water
sources and nearby creeks. High levels of AMD
is toxic to most organis ms. A water quality study conducted by
Hedin Environmental in 2003, funded by a $50,000 PA DEP grant, found the
future Garden’s main water source was so polluted with Acid Mine
Discharge (pH 2.8) it could not be used for irrigation. The AMD discharge nearly doubled when in
October 2004 Hurricane Ivan flooding changed the course of the
underground streams in the mines. Workers must first must reclaim
the land to fix the water quality so that the natural water on the
property will be able to nourish and sustain the
garden.
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An innovative plan was developed
working with Allegheny County, the PA Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), the U.S. Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation (OSMRE)
and Mashuda Corporation. The
Garden re-negotiated its lease with Allegheny County to allow removal of
the coal mines by a process known as reclamation. The owner of the coal
beneath the site donated his royalties to help pay for reclamation
activities. The
reclamation project is now underway. Mashuda
Corporation began the extraction of the residual coal in the mines
before collapsing them in November 2010. The sale of the coal will pay
for the $7.9 million reclamation. |
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Removing
the mines reaps multiple benefits: It stabilizes the land, protecting
future buildings from mine subsidence. It cleans the water for
irrigation and reduces pollution entering Robinson Run, a major
tributary of Chartiers Creek. The Garden is working with local, state
and federal government agencies to repair the site to create one of the
only botanic gardens in the country built on reclaimed land. |
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Construction
on the Botanic Garden has begun:
Andrew Baechle, the Director of Allegheny County Department of
Parks, helped secure weekend access to the northeast portion of
the property through the County’s maintenance facility on
Pinkerton Run Road. This gave Garden workers the ability to get
onto 40 acres of the site to start building permanent gardens at
the same time reclamation work is being done. |
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Construction
began on the “Woodlands of the World”, 40 acres to be divided
into five distinct woodlands: Asian, European, English,
Appalachian Plateau and Cove Forest. Volunteers cleared pathways
throughout the late Summer and Fall. Special thanks to
volunteers including the Cub Scout Pac 225, TLC Landscaping, and
Eichenlaub, Inc. Eagle Scout candidate Noah Hoffman and his
team built steps along the proposed Wildflower trail. |
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The
future garden will need plenty of clean water. So we have begun to
build a series of irrigation ponds that will sustain the garden, storing
2 million gallons of water a year when the Garden is open. With funds
received through a Pennvest grant, the Garden built three irrigation
ponds, capable of holding 2 million gallons of water to eliminate future
reliance on municipal water. Reclamation will be complete by June 2013. |
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Linda discussed history of the site with members of the audience: Hugh Brackenridge owned
the land in 1781. He was the co-founder of the Pittsburgh Gazette and
helped pass legislation to establish Allegheny County. At one point the
property was used as a chicken farm and was also the site of significant
coal mining in the 1920s. |
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A biological assessment study of the site was initiated, in partnership with Carnegie Museum of Natural
History and Audubon Society. This 10 month intensive survey of the flora
and fauna was to produce a detailed inventory of vascular plants and
insects, broad site mappings of trees and woody
vegetation, plus field identification of birds, mammals, reptiles,
fungi, mosses, and lichens. |
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The
Horticultural Society of Western Pennsylvania was
formed in 1989 by a group of landscape architects
and horticulturists. A decade later they signed a
99-year renewable lease with the Allegheny County
Board of Commissioners for 450 acres of land in the
southwestern corner of the 1600 acre Settler’s
Cabin County Park, in North Fayette and Collier
Townships to create a site for the Botanical Garden. |
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Over the last 18 months, the
Botanic Garden has cleared the property for the start of the reclamation
project, moved equipment onto the property to begin mine elimination,
and received Department of Environmental Protection grants for over
$1,800,000. In 2011, Chief
Executive of Allegheny County Dan Onorato supported leasing several
acres, a barn, and an old farmhouse adjacent to the northern portion of
the site to the PBG. |
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If
the lease is approved, this would allow creation of a welcome center,
office space and parking facilities. Most important, it will provide
access to the northern most part of the garden before completion of the
reclamation.
Terms to sell the extracted coal were agreed and are on
target with plans. The mine reclamation work undertaken by Mashuda
Corporation has merited attention from the Department of Environmental
Protection. Our site is now the new standard for re-mining work.
In the
Woodlands of the World section, more than 200 native trees have been
planted and 10 acres cleared of invasive species in the Appalachian
Plateau woodlands – part of a concerted effort to restore the
ecosystem and revitalize bird populations. |
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Five hundred native perennials,
shrubs, and trees have been planted to date, plus 15,000 bulbs
on The Dogwood Trail. The second solar
panel and pump is installed at the sprout nursery where 60 tree seedlings
are overwintering. |
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Linda
Shaytar is the office manager and community outreach coordinator
for the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. Linda graduated from
Slippery Rock University and before moving back to Pittsburgh
she enrolled in Moravian College's non-profit management
program. With a background in grass-roots organization and
government & public affairs. Shaytar has over ten years of
administrative experience. |
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FALL 2011 EVENTS
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Girl
Scout Troop 51296 Lends a Helping Hand
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Thanks
to the members of Girl Scout Troop 51296, our trails are in much
better condition this winter season. The girls, with their
parents, came to the woods ready to work on Saturday, November
5th.
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Bringing
a variety of hand tools and wheelbarrows, the girls spread straw and
mulched wet areas along our trails. They also collected sticks and laid
them along the path in the wettest areas to make it easier for potential
trail users to walk.
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In
addition, trenches meant to carry water away from the trails were
cleared of leaves.
The Girl
Scout Troop worked really hard and made quite a positive improvement to
the trails in just a few hours. We can’t thank them enough for
their help.
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Halloween
Funfest for the Younger Crowd
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Around
fifty
children with their families enjoyed celebrating Halloween at the Kane
Woods Nature Area's Scrubgrass Trailhead on October 22nd.
Not
too scary stories were told by Sherry Small, head of
Youth Services at the Scott Township Library and her husband
Mitch. Activities included crafts, games, a scavenger hunt, prizes
and treats. Caricatures by Jack was a favorite of children
and their parents alike, as they lined up to have their portraits drawn
in an exaggerated and amusing way.
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The
Halloween Funfest is a partnership between the conservancy and Chartiers
Valley High School student volunteers. A fun time was
had by all at the Funfest.
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"Bayers"
Sighted in Kane Woods
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On Sept.
30th, eleven volunteers from Bayer Corporation visited the Kane
Woods. The "Bayers" were participating in United Way of
Allegheny County's Day of Caring project which provides an opportunity
for companies and volunteers to give back to the community.
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The
volunteers arrived at Kane Woods Whiskey Point trailhead about 9:00 am
ready to work. They were an enthusiastic group and worked at
making improvements to our trails until about 2:00 pm.
Participants cleaned along Kane Blvd., cut down several trees that had
fallen across the trails, pulled weeds, and mulched some areas of our
trails. In addition, the volunteers from Bayer helped us prepare for
the Halloween
Funfest held at Scrubgrass Trailhead on October 22nd.
The
conservancy appreciates all their help. The improvements they made
to the trails will make walking the trails easier and more pleasant.
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Community
Education Update
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The
mission statement of the Penn State Master Gardener (PSMG)
volunteer program is to support the Penn State Cooperative
Extension by using research-based info to educate the public on
best practices in consumer horticulture and environmental
stewardship.
The program was established to help the
cooperative extension reach the consumer horticulture audience.
Master Gardeners receive extensive training in the various
phases of gardening. In return, they dedicate volunteer
time to teach horticulture based on recommendations stemming
from university research. |
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Our
second class offering, "Fall Cleanup: Savoring the Last of the
Season," took place on September 22. Martha Swiss, a Penn State
Master Gardener, was once again the evening's instructor. The topics
covered were:
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Plants
to cut back in the fall |
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Plants
to cut back in the spring |
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Winter
protection – methods
& materials to use |
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Consider
winter interest by leaving some plants as they are |
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Prevent
diseases from overwintering |
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people attended and were shown, via a PowerPoint presentation, methods
of pruning, basics of garden cleanup, photos of plants exhibiting winter
interest, proper mulching, and more.
A particularly helpful piece of information is that it’s okay
to give up on plants that don’t work for your garden.
If you don’t like it, if it’s messy, if it doesn’t perform
well – eliminate it. It’s
okay!
The
Scott Conservancy looks forward to continuing the collaboration with the
Allegheny County Penn State Master Gardener Program to sponsor more
classes on a variety of topics throughout next year. Some options are:
Pruning: The Kindest Cut, Rain Gardens to the Rescue!, Vegetable
Gardening, Container Gardening, Let's Try Something New (based on
results of the plant trials in the demo gardens), and Making More
Plants.
Email
your preference and we'll work to schedule the
most popular selections. Hope to see you at the next one!
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SUMMER 2011 EVENTS
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Scott
Annual Picnic
Forty five
people enjoyed the Scott Conservancy's 4th Annual Members Picnic on a warm Wednesday
evening in August. The picnic included potato salad, a buttery
fettucine, watermelon, berry pie, hot dogs, hamburgers and goodies galore.
As dusk settled, a fire in the fire pit at the Kane Woods Whiskey Point Trailhead made a
cozy backdrop for a lively conversation on historical aspects of Scott Township
and Carnegie as folks reminisced. The wildflowers were in full bloom and
everyone had a great time.
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Treasure
discovered in the Kane Woods
On
July 16th, the Scott Conservancy hosted the annual Whiskey
Rebellion celebration in the Kane woods. The historic site is one
of the rare tracks of land that remain relatively undeveloped
since George Washington first set foot in what is now Western PA.
In
1754, the western frontier was just being explored and settled by
early traders. Crude roads following Native American paths were
being made by Virginia land seekers partial to England, while the
rivers were dominated by the French traders. Native Americans
leaving settlements and hunting grounds were reluctantly moving
west as the new settlers in the Chartier’s Valley moved in. The
first shot allgedly fired by George Washington and Virginia troops
began the Seven Years War, known as the French and Indian War in
the colonies.
When
the war ended, reparations and back pay were given in the form of
land grants to officers who were willing to settle the frontier.
The land know as Bower Hill at the crest of the hill above
Chartier’s Creek was deeded to General John Neville, along with
five parcels on both sides of the well-known Catfish Path leading
from present day Washington, PA to Pittsburgh. At the same time,
fellow officer William Lea was deeded land on the adjacent hill
and the valley between them. This is the same land preserved by
the Scott Conservancy two hundred years later.
This
historically preserved green space was the site of Western
Pennsylvania’s most documented event of the Whiskey Rebellion.
In 2008, I had the honor of leading a historical venture with 50
interested participants for the opening of the Kane Woods trails.
We started at the Bower Hill Memorial heritage sign at the crest
of the hill on Kane Blvd and entered the woods near the oldest
standing oak tree at the beginning of historically named Neville’s
Trace Trail.
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Moving down the hill on the Liberty Trail and
overlooking Tom the Tinker Trail we soon met The Whiskey Boys
Trail. Finally our footsteps ended at the crossroads overlooking
the original Catfish Path along Chartier’s Creek
This
same theme has become an annual event on the third weekend of July
commemorating the Whiskey Rebellion. Three years ago we invited
Rob Whindhorst of the Woodville Neville House to do the speaking
honors. On Saturday July 16th, Rob enlightened the participants
with historical references about the burning of Bower Hill while
five fellow reinactors from General Wayne’s battalion enlisted
the cro wd and marched from Bower Hill through the woods to Whiskey
Point. Rob then invited them to Woodville Plantation for the
festivities the next day. The following year the crowd was
entertained with an enactment of a skirmish along the Neville’s
Trace Trail between several “Whiskey Boy” rebels and General
Wayne’s troops firing muskets which delighted the attendees.
This
year the rebellion took on a whole new dimension as a group of
reinactors from The Bradford House (Washington County) joined in
portraying the Whiskey Boys. The authentic banter and gunfire
between the rebels and commanding officers brought the event to
life entertaining a large crowd of onlookers. An encampment was
set up near the arched bridge where visitors could ask questions
and see what settler life in 1794 was like in Western Pa. An
estimated 100 participants attended this year’s event, including
18 reinactors. Refreshments were provided by Conservancy
volunteers. Interestingly, someone remarked that they saw remains
of Anthroposornis near an old still found nearby.
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Plans
are underway for next July’s event. If you would like to be part
of the reenactment contact the Scott Conservancy at 412-276-3222 or
visit our website at www.scottconservancy.
org
Additional
information can be found at: www.WoodvillePlantation.org or
www.WaynesLegion.org
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Scott
Twp. 150th Anniversary
The Scott Conservancy
hosted a booth at Scott Park on the 4th of July. This year we were
pleased to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Scott Township.
Working with township commissioners, we hosted a historical booth
highlighting important events that occurred in the township and
acknowledged those individuals who have made a lasting
contribution to the community.
We were thrilled to welcome a
surprise visit by Pennsylvania State Representative Matt Smith,
who is a strong supporter of the conservancy. Representative Matt
Smith (42nd District, Allegheny County) is pictured at our booth
with Scott Conservancy
Treasurer Jane Sorcan.
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SPRING 2011 EVENTS
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Community
Education Update
Design
Your Landscape
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On
March 22nd, we offered a program called "Design your
Landscape" and it was quite a success. Thank you to our Community
Education Chairperson Jane Peart for organizing the event. Martha Swiss,
the evening's instructor and a Penn State Master Gardener, provided
useful information including:
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How
to assess your landscape |
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How
to create a design to achieve the needs & desires for your
landscape |
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How
to achieve a successful execution of the design |
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Thirty-four
people attended and viewed an informative presentation which included
many photographs, examples of before and after situations, ideas for
creating structure in your garden (ex: walls, floor, ceiling, hardscape),
and reminders such as improving the soil and assessing how much ongoing
maintenance will be needed. Attendees also received a handout that
included a list of trees and shrubs for natural landscaping and a list
of publications for further reading.
The
Scott Conservancy looks forward to collaborating with the Allegheny
County Penn State Master Gardener Program to sponsor another class on a
different topic in the fall. The program
list includes topics like pruning, fall clean up, garden design,
bulbs and vegetable gardening. Please contact Jane
Peart with any questions or your suggestions for future
educational programs.
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Annual
Earth Day Clean-up
Scott
Township
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On
April 16, 2011, Scott Township sponsored the annual Earth Day
community clean-up and the Scott Conservancy and our members
participated in the event. Even though the day was overcast and
rainy, twelve volunteers participated in the cleanup and helped
us celebrate Earth Day with their efforts. This year's clean-up
efforts focused on the main roadways in Scott Township. |
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The
rain seemed to have kept volunteers home that day so Greentree
Road became the focus of the clean-up. A group of volunteers
picked up trash along Washington Pike near Paddy's Park and
Ducky's Car Wash the day before when the weather was better. A
group of residents from Providence Point also cleaned-up along
Kane Boulevard. A special thank you to those that particpated
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CALENDAR
| NEWS
| CONSERVATION
CORNER
| RESOURCES
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Feeding
the Deer Not Encouraged
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The
large number of deer in Scott Township continues to be a concern
to township residents. Please consider voluntarily
stopping the practice of spreading food on the ground to feed
deer and other wildlife and spread the word to others.
The
Environmental Committee formed by the township board of
commissioners to look into the matter recently reported back to
the township, after having done some research. As a
way to control the number of deer in the township and to keep
them out of the neighborhoods, the committee suggested that
residents not feed the deer.
Deer
will leave wooded areas for a human-provided food source which
makes deer more vulnerable to vehicle accidents and ultimately
make deer suffer because a deer's stomach is not equipped to
handle the feedings we might make available to them.
More
information can be found by contacting your Scott Commissioner
or these websites:
PA Game
Commision
National
Wildlife Health Center
The Effects of
Feeding Wildlife
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The
Little Wren
by
Hazel Cope
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The
little wren with upturned tail perches on a rusty nail and
chirrups loud and long and clear "Don't any of you birds
come near! I own this house, this nail, this tree. Master of it
all – that's Me!"
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Jasper
by
Hazel Cope
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On the hottest of days our dog will dig
in the cool damp earth beneath the twigs
which have fallen from the shady tree
where we both sit, my dog and me.
He stretches full length beside my seat
so his earthen bed can cool his heat.
It's a quite different pose from his winter
tradition
when he curls on the couch in fetal position.
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Deer
by
Hazel Cope
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"Heads Up! Danger's Near!"
seem to say the whitetailed deer
and with cautious grace they turn to face
the noise they hear.
With big brown eyes they stare straight at
me
but I stand stock still where they cannot see,
so deciding the danger must be negligible
they return to munching on my vegetables.
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CALENDAR
| NEWS
| CONSERVATION
CORNER
| RESOURCES
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Scott
Conservancy Property List
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Our conservancy has been able to acquire 77.5 acres
over the last 10 years. We have listed the parcel numbers of the
property we own and have under protection below. All of our parcels have
received tax exempt status.
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View
entire map:
by clicking the arrow to minimize the left
information section, you can view the entire map with the
highlighted parcels. The map is centered and sized for viewing
in the screen, but you can use the navigation arrows and sliding
scale to move and size the map to view what you want. You can
also change between road map and aerial views.
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Use
map to locate parcels or get driving directions:
by clicking the arrow to expand the left
information section, locate a specific parcel or get driving
directions to our Trailheads with parking lots. Enter your
starting address plus our destination address, 1459 Scrubgrass
Road, Scott Township, 15106 for the Scrubgrass Run Trailhead
parking lot or 1461 Scrubgrass Road, Scott Township, 15106 for
the Whiskey Point Trailhead parking lot.
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Use
parcel numbers to do a computer search:
using the parcel numbers, a computer search can be
performed at the Real Estate page found on the Allegheny County
Office of Property Assessments site. Just
enter
a parcel number listed below in the Parcel Search
of the Real
Estate website.
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Vanadium
Road Parcels: These
3 parcels, approximately 5 acres, are separate from the rest of our
property and make up a very pristine area containing many mature trees.
A sign marking the property is located on Vanadium Road across from the
Vanadium Woods.
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195-G-10
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195-C-50
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195-C-20
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Kane
Woods Nature Area Parcels:
The remaining 7 parcels, about 72 acres, are
contiguous and create a very large greenway extending from the Whiskey
Point Trailhead on Scrubgrass Road to Meadowlark Park in Scott Township.
The 2 miles of trails we maintain are located on 42 of these acres. The
remaining 30 acres do not contain any developed trails, and we are
developing a best practices management plan for this undeveloped area.
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Jaycee Drive Parcels:
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144-S-75
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144-S-33
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Carleton Manor,
Vanderbilt Drive - Mt. Lebanon Parcels:
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194-B-250
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Scrubgrass Road (from the
valley on the Scott Twp. side behind Meadowlark Drive ending at
Meadowlark Park)
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144-G-375
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143-J-200
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143-P-25
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143-N-50
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All
of the parcels can now be viewed on Google®
Maps thanks to Keith Weightman.
See how these parcels tie into our trails and nature area
by viewing this map and our video on the Kane
Woods Nature Area page.
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Marcellus
Shale Info & Resources
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Marcellus
shale drilling has already begun in Southwest Pennsylvania. A number of
drilling leases have been signed by residents in our area, including one
in Scott Twp. There is no doubt it will be an economic benefit to the
region, but there are concerns about how it will affect the environment
and the quality of life of those living near the drilling.
Residents
in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and the surrounding region want to know
more because our region lies directly on top of the Marcellus shale.
We want to thank the librarians of the Carnegie Library for creating a
list of resources and information that will help residents understand
what the major issues surrounding natural gas drilling in the Marcellus
Shale are and why the issue has been so controversial. The
entire list can be found at
http://www.clpgh.org/research/scitech/environment/MarcellusShale.html 
Following
are a few of the resources from the list:
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FracTracker
A common place for citizens to learn about and share their Marcellus
Shale drilling experiences.
Go
Marcellus Shale
Check here for news and all things related to the Marcellus Shale
Wikipedia:
Marcellus Formation
Learn about the Marcellus Shale
National
Geographic: The Great Shale Gas Rush
This October 2010 Special Report includes info on Pennsylvania
Following is
information from the PA DEP:
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Informational
Links from the PA DEP
Links to state regulations, hydraulic fracturing & chemicals used in
hydraulic fracturing, leasing, drill site emergency response, gas
migration, water quality and management, inspections and reporting
violations, drilling technology, geology, FAQ's, facts, reports,
statistics, maps and more ...
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We
thank our members for their support in helping us raise $847. The
winner of the 50/50 raffle was a member who lives near the Kane
Woods. Special thanks
to Ron Ellis, the pool manager, who helped us publicize the event
and allowed us to use the pool for the race.
