HEADLINES OTHER About SUSTAINABLE The heinz INITIATIVES endowments Environment The Heinz Endowments have WATERSHEDS BROWNFIELDS Founded more than four decades apart, Program supported a number of other watershed and brownfield projects in Pennsylvania: the Howard Heinz Endowment, Allegheny Watershed Network Western Pennsylvania Watershed The Phoenix Land Recycling Company established in 1941, and the Vira I. Heinz The Allegheny River is one of the Protection Program The Phoenix Land Recycling The Heinz Endowments most diverse freshwater ecosystems in the The Watershed Protection Company is a non-profit corporation that Endowment, established in 1986, are Winter 1998 eastern United States. The Allegheny Program is working to protect and restore facilitates the assessment and remediation the product of a family commitment to Watershed Network, a project of the of brownfield sites for economic reuse. Pennsylvania’s unique water resources on community that began with H.J. Heinz Pennsylvania Environmental Council, an ecosystem basis, and to foster separate The organization partners with local Multi-Stakeholder Process Broadens Impact and continues to this day. In life, Howard functions as the primary source of infor- technologies to preserve and reclaim economic and industrial development of Environment Program Grants mation and support for organizations watersheds. The program supports preser- agencies, commercial realtors and devel- Heinz and Vira I. Heinz contributed and agencies working on environmental vation, acid mine drainage and stream- opers to identify locations with a high to setting the highest possible standards projects within the Allegheny watershed. bank stabilization projects as well as potential for economic reuse. It conducts of effective philanthropy. The mission The Heinz Endowments’ expanding network of environmental action,” The Network’s goal is to coordinate non-point source pollution abatement comprehensive assessments and develops stated Ed Wilson, a consultant to the OMG the work of these groups in order to and water monitoring. remediation plans for these sites, and of their foundations is to be diligent, Environment Program is seeking implement a comprehensive conserva- with the remedial requirements and costs thoughtful and creative in helping to carry to add a new dimension to its Center for Collaborative Learning, a firm tion strategy throughout the Allegheny quantified, it assists in marketing the sites grantmaking. Over the past four engaged to monitor the environment program The Juniata River Project those standards forward. The Heinz River watershed. The Endowments support the to prospective purchasers. years, the program has developed as part of an ongoing evaluation. Endowments are based in Pittsburgh and Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Juniata a “green team” approach, an on- But forming these partnerships can be Riverkeeper Program which focuses on The Center for Land Renewal they share a commitment to supporting going effort to rally grantees to difficult. The dynamics of bringing diverse protection and restoration of the Juniata The Center for Land Renewal is the efforts of non-profit organizations, work together on specific projects. groups to the same table provides valuable watershed in central Pennsylvania. leading the development of the Brown- primarily in western Pennsylvania, lessons in discipline and diplomacy. The watershed, a major tributary of the fields Network, a forum through which In the future, the Endowments Susquehanna/Chesapeake Bay system, organizations and individuals across the in the areas of arts and culture, children, will attempt to create additional “Addressing the challenges of the is extraordinarily diverse and still rela- country can communicate and share youth and families, economic opportunity, leverage by encouraging a more environment cannot be done in piecemeal information on industrial site reuse. tively unspoiled. This program focuses education, and the environment. self-sustaining “green network” fashion,” stated Andrew McElwaine, director on four areas: agriculture, wetlands, One of the largest salamanders in North of diverse community stakeholders. of environment programs. “In an effort to meet land conservation and environmental Pittsburgh RISES America, the Hellbender, found in French As the program grows, it is uniting their project goals, we’ve watched many of our education. Pittsburgh RISES (Regional Creek, can grow to be 29 inches long and not only grantees, but an interactive web of grantees form partnerships with a broad circle Industrial Site Evaluation System) is a weigh up to 5 1/2 pounds. geographical information system and community organizations, business owners, of people and organizations and tackle the database of available industrial properties government officials and citizens. The program challenges of winning public support. It’s been in the Pittsburgh area. The project, a is now working toward using multi-stakeholder truly remarkable to watch new alliances form collaboration between the University For more information, please contact: processes to add to the momentum of many and smart programs become integrated into of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon Andrew McElwaine environmental initiatives — giving them the community.” University, is providing custom physical, Program Officer and strength and solidarity and increasing the Two areas in which the Environment economic and environmental analyses, Director of Environment Programs Left: On a canoe trip, led by the likelihood of long-term success. Program is working to build green networks so informed decisions can be made by 30 CNG Tower Chesapeake Bay Foundation, groups of “It is becoming clear that the Environ- are Watersheds and Brownfields. These areas students and adults look for crayfish and prospective developers, planning organi- 625 Liberty Avenue study the healthy life of the Juniata River. zations, community groups and policy Pittsburgh, PA 15222 ment Program is not simply creating a series reflect the program’s commitment to environ- makers. of project teams, it is also forging diverse and mental protection and ecological restoration. 412·338·2627 sometimes unexpected linkages to create an email: [email protected] Background:Through a Geographical Information System, Pittsburgh RISES H&V networksThe slag pile of Nine Mile Run identifies hundreds of brownfield sites looms over the community of in Allegheny County and the City of HE Duck Hollow near Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh. www.heinz.org Design: Mark Friedman & Associates Photo credits: Charles Bier, Paul Wiegman Printed with soybean inks on recycled paper C WATERSHEDS BROWNFIELDS The French Creek Project is a five- The French Creek year initiative with three central goals: to The Nine Mile Run Key Partners: Project raise public awareness about the value of Greenway Project the stream; to catalyze the development of The network that is supporting the goals of the Nine Mile Run Greenway Project as disparate — environmentalists, farm- livestock to have access to the creek, Canvassing the Creek Environmental Alliance “Perhaps the most striking opportunity French Creek has been called the a community based watershed organiza- includes the following: ers, business leaders, local government businesses don’t want the environment The Canvassing the Creek initiative for Senior Initiative noted for a large park is the valley of Nine most biologically diverse watershed in tion; and to preserve the stream’s habitat, officials, teachers and landowners. This to deter economic growth — our is a door-to-door outreach effort to intro- French Creek staff are bringing Mile Run...” Pennsylvania. It flows 117 miles from maintain biological diversity and protect The City of Pittsburgh approach encourages community accep- challenge is to integrate the goals of duce the community to the French Creek high school and college students Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr., 1910 western New York through northwest- endangered species. The Department of City Planning commissioned a master planning study of tance and can change the way people the project into the community and Project. “We knew that a top-down pro- together with senior citizens to carry ern Pennsylvania to Franklin, where Through unique public outreach the 240 acre site of Nine Mile Run, which proposes to build 1200 residential think about and act toward the creek build trust among all stakeholders.” ject wouldn’t be well received and that out water quality monitoring. In 1911, when Frederick Law it drains into the Allegheny River. programs, the project has gained wide- units and create almost 100 acres of public space. and its tributaries.” The French Creek Project has we needed public support for protection Olmstead, Jr. was a consultant to The barren mountain of industrial waste and the stream valley of Nine Mile Run French Creek, named by a young spread support from groups and individ- “The project staff have rallied responded to these potential barriers by of the watershed,” said Hill. “We thought The French Creek Calendar Pittsburgh’s Civic Commission, he George Washington in 1753, is the uals throughout the watershed. It has The Urban Redevelopment Authority widespread community support and reaching out to key community groups that door-to-door canvassing would be The project is using history recommended a major park be created habitat for more species of fish and also managed to focus state-wide media The URA, now the owner of the Nine Mile Run site, identified four design they’ve made people realize what a