By Lauryn Stalter, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Shortly after sunrise on a Saturday morning last month, more than 150 volunteers made their way to Frick Park ready to get things done. Coming from across the region with their kids, neighbors, teammates and coworkers, these early risers were there to take part in the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s Earth Day volunteer event, one of many Comcast Cares Day projects.
After a light breakfast, volunteers split into groups to focus on individual projects. With training and guidance from Parks Conservancy staff, the groups jumped right into projects that will improve the health of the park. With so many people lending a hand, it’s incredible to see how much can be accomplished in just one day:
- 80 new native trees planted
- One enormous deer exclosure built to protect trees from grazing deer
- 20 bags of invasive garlic mustard removed
- 1500 grass plugs planted around the new Frick Environmental Center
Events like these are not only a wonderful way to get outdoors and meet neighbors; they make a tremendous difference in the parks. The help of 156 volunteers for this three-hour event equates to 468 hours – nearly 59 work days for a Parks Conservancy staffer.
This volunteer event was made possible thanks to the support of Comcast through Comcast Cares Day.
