PITTSBURGH, PA (June 9, 2020) The Department of Public Works has announced that seven city parks will be maintained under a Green/Eco Landscaping Contract, providing organic and/or natural landscaping without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides, in line with City of Pittsburgh DPW landscaping operations.
Some of these environmentally sustainable practices include:
- The Penn State Agricultural Extension will collect soil samples to determine the pH and nutrient levels at these locations. Those tests will determine which organic fertilization or compost-based program will be used. Programs include organic fertilizer, compost, compost tea and/or any other acceptable sustainable fertilization practice.
- Turf Care Programs will be implemented with no more than 25% weed cover (10% if a specialty program) utilizing compost, compost tea, overseeding, aeration, topdressing, thatch management and mowing heights of 3 inches (2.5 inches if specialty).
- Weed removal will be done manually, by flame weeders and/or by grazing goats.
- Weed prevention will be done by mulching, tarping, landscape fabric, planting desirable vegetation or by newspaper and/or cardboard barriers.
The Green/Eco Landscaping Contract will be used in the following parks, with the intention of adding additional park locations later:
- Allegheny Landing Park
- Allegheny Riverfront Park (upper and lower levels)
- Convention Center Park
- Mellon Square Park
- Schenley Park-Panther Hollow Field
- Schenley Park-Schenley Plaza
- Southside Park-Quarry Field
The sustainable landscaping for these park locations will cost approximately $18,920, but the Green/Eco Landscaping Contract is part of a larger contracting package.
