We work to promote the enhancement, growth and careful use of Mt. Lebanon’s green space parks - BIRD PARK, TWIN HILLS AND ROBB HOLLOW - and to foster an appreciation of and respect for the environment.
The Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy has many nature-based programs, volunteer work days, a native plant sale and more. To learn about our events, please see our list of events.
In Memorium: Pam Burrett
We remember here Pam Burrett, a past president of Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy. Pam was a long-time, dedicated volunteer, a spirited force for good in Mt. Lebanon, and lovely person deeply committed to Mt. Lebanon’s high school students and its parks, trees and birds.
Joining the Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy early its existence, she served as a board member for decades, including several stints as president, secretary and other officer positions.
We are honored that Pam and her family named MLNC as a beneficiary of memorial donations. Press the drop-down menu on our donations page.
Pam also served on Mt. Lebanon’s Parks Advisory Board, and even when she wasn’t serving, she often showed up at the meetings. Her purpose was not necessarily to comment or push an agenda, but just to listen, and to be aware of issues that might affect the parks. She served as a sort of institutional memory for both the PAB and the Conservancy, and epitomized the importance of showing up.
For many years Bird Park trail mulching for School in the Park readiness relied on Pam’s connections with the Mt. Lebanon High School ESL program, where she taught, to encourage student volunteerism.
The bird blind in Twin Hills Park is there because Pam pressed for one for years with Ron Block, another MLNC Board member who works with Eagle Scouts to guide park-related projects. Pam chose the location as the most suitable once the municipality approved installation. As an avid birder, who helped each year with the Audubon Bird Count, Pam knew the best place within Mt. Lebanon’s parks to be able to pause and watch.
Pam remained on the Parks Advisory Board and conservancy board as recently as 2020 and was still planting trees, even as she aged. She particularly loved the Kentucky Coffee Tree, a native plant known for providing animal habitat and its striking profile as a mature tree. When you see one in our parks, it is most likely due to her smiling and persistent advocacy.
Her friends at MLNC lovingly called her “Eveready” because she always showed up ready to work, and her battery never ran out.
We mourn her passing.
Twin Hills Cleanup!
SUNDAY!!!! Nov. 9, 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. We welcome volunteers for any portion of time!
We are testing out a SUNDAY park improvement project to see if people like working on that day.
Meet at the Twin Hill Drive entrance. Park around the corner on Northridge Drive.
Please sign up here!
Join us at Twin Hills park as we do maintenance work, check the tubes of trees that we have recently planted, do clean up and removal of invasive shrubs and clean up around the stairs to improve walking path safety. Please wear long sleeves and pants and bring loppers and shovels if you have them. Remember a water bottle as well.
All activities are weather permitting.
Film Screening & Panel Discussion
(Annual Event)
Sunday Nov. 2, 1:30-3:30
Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Meeting Room A
Join us for a film screening of ‘Seeing the Unseen: Aquatic Invaders & What's At Stake’ and a panel discussion as part of our annual event. After a brief review of the Conservancy’s year, watch this short award winning documentary, produced by Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and shot right here in Pennsylvania!
A panel of experts will discuss the film and answer questions. Panelists include Natalie Drozda (Mt Lebanon Nature Conservancy Board), Amy Jewitt (Pennsylvania iMapInvasives Program Coordinator, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy), and Sara Stahlman (Extension Leader with PA Sea Grant).
Light refreshments will be served after the panel, so stay and chat with Board members, and learn how you can get involved!
Event is free and open to the public. Suitable for adults and young adults. No registration is required.
Author Talk with Andrew Moore
Thursday, Nov. 13, 7-8:30 p.m.
Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Room A
Join Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy and Mt. Lebanon Public Library for a discussion with Andrew Moore, author of “Pawpaw: America’s Forgotten Fruit.”
The largest edible fruit native to the United States tastes like a cross between a banana and a mango. It grows wild in twenty-six states, gracing Eastern forests each fall with sweet-smelling, tropical-flavored abundance. So why have so few people heard of the pawpaw, much less tasted one? Moore will explore the past, present, and future of this remarkable species.
https://mtlebanon.librarycalendar.com/event/author-chat-andy-miller-author-paw-paw-15896
GREEN READS BOOK CLUB
The Green Reads book club will be discussing this book on November 20th, so be sure to join us for both events! Sign up here for the book club event.
Thank you!
How you can help Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy
Click on the “donate” button to make a contribution online. Sustaining donations (posted monthly to your credit card) help us the most because they even out the cash flow of our small non-profit organization.
Send a check donation, made out to “Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy,” to: P.O. Box 14901, Pittsburgh, PA 15243. Checks minimize the fees we pay for online processing.
We also highly value the time that volunteers give through the year. Hundreds of people join in to help weed, clip, haul or plant. We welcome other volunteer help, such as working with us to develop new programs; staffing booths at events like Mt. Lebanon’s Earth Day; doing some printing or photocopying; or contributing photographs that we can post to social media or our website.
