May: Adam Fedyski

PITTSBURGH PARKS CONSERVANCY
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY FELLOW

I have started to step into a more independent role at the PPC, working to organize volunteer events with groups from schools, universities, corporations, and the general public. I have started to lead bi-weekly volunteer event planning meetings with Marijke and our field staff, where we present new event ideas, decide what projects should be addressed in the parks, and plan out new activities. I am helping to expand our potential to reach out and work with new groups and schools, taking a proactive approach to setting up events.

Volunteer events:
May 1st- Assisted with the Hat Lunch, the Parks Conservancy’s largest annual fundraiser. It was quite a spectacle, with 670 people attending in their finest hats! Pictures can be seen here: http://pittsburghparks.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/2010-hat-luncheon/ .

May 12th- Annual planting at Schenley Plaza with nine tenth-grade students from City High Charter School. Check them out if you go by there!

May 13th- Daffodil deadheading with the Jewish Community Center and Hip Mamas. We had ten parents and their young children come out to help us. You can find a couple photos at the top of the page here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/melissappc/page3/

May 19th- Helped the Frick Environmental Center Staff with the final session of their Habitat Explorers program, where about 25 first graders from the Environmental Charter School came out to help us restore stream bank vegetation by planting fascines (bundles of dogwood branches that can take root in soil). They helped us to bundle the branches together, dig trenches along the stream bank and bury the fascines there. We also found a super cool black salamander!

May 20th- Garlic mustard sweep with 24 ninth-graders from City High in Schenley Park near the Bartlett Playground. It was an introduction to service learning projects for them. All tenth-graders at City High engage in service learning projects throughout the year, one of which is through the High School Urban EcoSteward program with the PPC.

May 25th- Another garlic mustard sweep, this time with 16 ninth-graders from City High in Riverview Park near the Chapel Shelter.