On the occasion of Pittsburgh's 250th birthday, the state of Pennsylvania will invest $1 million to enhance parks, plant trees and improve trails in the Pittsburgh region, an industrial center that is now in the process of growing greener.
The million dollar announcement made by Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis on Monday crowned an exciting four days for Pittsburgh parks professionals and advocates.
They have hosted 500 of their counterparts from across the United States and around the world at the International Urban Parks Conference.
"Body and Soul: Parks and the Health of Great Cities" is the theme of the conference that opened Saturday, co-sponsored by City Parks Alliance, the National Association for Olmsted Parks and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.
Participants from as far away as South Africa, Mexico, Pakistan, Germany and the United Kingdom toured Pittsburgh parks to view some of the recent improvements and explore areas where further work is needed.
On Saturday, conference delegates marked the inaugural World Parks Day, organized by Parks for Life, an international initiative created by the International Parks and Green Space Alliance.
The conference, which concluded today, considered environmental sustainability, preservation, maintenance and accessibility of parks as well as acquisition and management of public and private funds to cover the needs of parks in a tightening economy.
"As we work to address the impact of global warming, our urban areas offer tremendous opportunities around already existing infrastructure and transportation," DiBerardinis said at an event at Mellon Square announcing the grants.
"It's the parks, trees and recreational opportunities that make them places where people want to work and live, and that's what we are supporting with our investments today," he said.
Full Story: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2008/2008-09-23-091.asp
