McKeesport Area Welcomes New Nature Initiative

Audubon society, local communities collaborate on project to support native birds

By Vickie Babyak
The Tube City Almanac
June 16, 2023
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

From back to front, AnnaLisa Haughwout of McKeesport, Sarah Koenig, ASWP conservation director, and Brian Shema, ASWP operations director, discuss the benefits of bird-watching. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)

The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania recently celebrated its launch of an environmental collaborative initiative with municipalities, community partners, local organizations, schools and residents throughout the region of the McKeesport Area School District.

City and borough officials, organization leaders, Mon Valley residents and bird lovers gathered in Renziehausen Park recently for the Mon Valley Bird-Friendly Community Project Kickoff and certified backyard habitat enrollment.

Community programming will include a master birder program, birdwatching walks and habitat gardening classes. ASWP will collaborate with area plant nurseries to reduce invasive plant sales while expanding the offer of pollinator and bird-friendly plants to customers. A transformation of a vacant lot into a bird and pollinator-friendly habitat will be established in partnership with Tri-COG Land Bank.

ASWP executive director Jim Bonner is originally from the Mon Valley and has a special bond with the area. Bonner said, “Creating bird-friendly communities is at the heart of what we do,” he said.

ASWP Executive Director Jim Bonner and McKeesport City Administrator Tom Maglicco spot an oriole bird nest from last year hanging in a huge tree close to Lake Emilie. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)

Tom Maglicco, McKeesport city administrator, said he’s excited about the new partnership. “What a great collaboration for our city and the communities in our school district,” he said. “We work with Allegheny County, Allegheny Cleanways, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and now this group.”

Sarah Koenig, conservation director of ASWP, said 90 households in the Mon Valley are eligible to enroll for the summer and fall program and receive help creating a backyard habitat or pollinator garden for birds, butterflies and bees.

Participants will receive bundles of native plants worth more than $175 and once enrolled in the CBH, participants will also receive a one-year ASWP membership.

ASWP staff members Ben Kehoe, community conservation coordinator, and Tim Byan, Whetzel land steward, will visit households once or twice to deliver plants, identify habitat gardening opportunities and provide custom resources.

Communities where the program is available include McKeesport, White Oak, Dravosburg, Versailles and South Versailles Twp.

The certified backyard habitat program had previously been offered in McKeesport, Glassport, Wilkinsburg and Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood.

ASWP community conservation coordinator Ben Kehoe points out a catalpa tree but in Western Pennsylvania, we know them as Toby trees. The tree attracts worms that are good for fishing bait, he said, and the wood is strong.  (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)

Michelle Gessner, administrative assistant in White Oak Borough, said she had read a March 2022 Tube City Almanac article titled “Habitat Program Connects Residents to Nature” about the ASWP certified backyard habitat program, and wondered why it wasn’t available in that community.

“I contacted ASWP and asked them, ‘why not here, too?’’ she said. “That article is half the reason for this collaborative initiative.”

The goal of the initiative is to enhance access to nature, improve habitat for birds and pollinators, and offer students and community members environmental education. Koenig said ASWP is thrilled to officially get moving with the program.

The Mon Valley program is being funded in part through a $200,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation’s Invasive Species Program and $100,000 from other funders to connect people with birds and nature, deliver environmental education, and reduce the spread of invasive species throughout the Mon Valley.

Koenig said two $5,000 grants have been awarded for Francis McClure Elementary and Twin Rivers Elementary schools. The school grounds will feature new habitat gardens with native plants that will support birds and beneficial insects. Complementary in-school programs and training for teachers will be provided.

“When we get the community programming scheduled at local libraries, I’ll share the information. Also, we’re always open to suggestions on program topics or project ideas,” said Koenig.

Other benefits of the initiative include enhanced bird-friendly green spaces, 160 new Certified Backyard Habitats in community members’ yards, bird murals painted in participating communities and distribution of 4,000 native plants to help Pennsylvania wildlife thrive.

ASWP Whetzel land steward Tim Byan shared information about invasive plants. Here he points out a Tulip Poplar tree, which attracts butterflies.  (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)

Kehoe will be based in the McKeesport City Hall building and Byan will continue to work from Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel. Kehoe is still figuring out his office hours for his McKeesport location.

ASWP intends to support 90 native gardens and 80 next year, Koenig said.

For more information about the CBH program, visit www.aswp.org or call (412) 963-6100.

Vickie Babyak is a photographer and freelance writer from Dravosburg. She may be reached at vbabyak@yahoo.com.

Originally published June 16, 2023.

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