Events

Join our host Melinda Guinn as she tours us around Salamander Park.

Salamander Park is a 17-acre natural area in Fox Chapel Borough featuring a stream (Sycamore Run), mature forest, and a rare vernal pool that supports Spotted Salamanders and Wood Frogs.

In 2023, volunteers — including AP Environmental Science students — began removing invasive privet and other woody species to prepare the site for second graders to plant native trees during annual field trips. This collaboration between local schools, Audubon Society of Western PA, and Fox Chapel Borough earned the 2024 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

Since then, more than 1,000 students have participated in stewardship projects across the borough’s 500-acre park system. Scout-led surveys identified Hemlock Woolly Adelgid infestations, launching a treatment program. Large areas have been restored, making room for 5,000 native trees and shrubs representing more than 40 species.

An innovative partnership between volunteers and borough staff has also created a cost-effective invasive management system: volunteers identify and cut invasives, creating habitat brush piles, while licensed staff follow up with targeted stump treatments. This efficient approach has successfully restored large sections of the park while maximizing professional resources.

Join award-winning author, photographer, and educator Rick Darke for What Is Wild and Why It Matters, a free national webinar on Tuesday, April 28th at 10 am CT. Discover how inviting a bit of authentic wildness can create a vibrant landscape that sustains you and local biodiversity. This national event is presented in collaboration between Wild Ones and Homegrown National Park.

Join us for a guided spring hike at McConnells Mill State Park led by Tamara OBrien. This moderate-level hike includes some steep sections and plenty of steps, so come prepared!

Along the way, we’ll explore emerging spring plant life and diverse habitats while enjoying the stunning scenery of Slippery Rock Creek. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with nature, learn about native plants, and take in one of the region’s most beautiful landscapes.

Explore this exciting transformation of two acres of former farmland into a thriving native plant landscape. 

Since purchasing the property in fall 2022, Cindie has been steadily converting open ground into a series of thoughtfully designed garden spaces that highlight the beauty and ecological value of native species. 

The site is also home to a growing native plant nursery, offering you a unique behind-the-scenes look.

This tour is a wonderful opportunity to see a young garden in active evolution, learn about the process of starting from scratch, and gather inspiration for your own native planting projects.

Please register and let us know how many people will be attending this garden tour.

We'll send an email with the address a few days before the actual event.

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon!