South Side Park
Regenerating a hidden 64-acre urban park through community stewardship, invasive species management, and stormwater infrastructure design. Cultivating new paradigms for urban ecology for resilient communities.
Transforming South Side Park's urban runoff through community-driven restoration
In the urban tapestry of Pittsburgh, a 64-acre enigma unfolds - South Side Park. This sprawling green space, hidden amid bustling neighborhood streets, stands as a testament of urban neglect. With its 400-foot elevation change from north to south, the park is a dramatic canvas of nature's resilience.
South Side Park is not just a recreational space; it's a critical component in Pittsburgh's stormwater management infrastructure. The park crowns the M16 combined sewer shed, which annually discharges a staggering 102 million gallons of combined sewage overflow into the Monongahela River. The community design process of South Side Park is a call to action, a challenge to reimagine our relationship with urban waterways. The various plans and studies this work draws upon - from the Open Space, Parks and Recreation Plan to the South Side Neighborhood Plan - are blueprints for a new urban paradigm, one where green spaces are not afterthoughts but central to our urban identity.
South Side Park's lack of “landscape legibility" is a metaphor for our urban-nature relationship: its programmed edges and wild interior reflect our conflicted approach to ecosystems. The park's challenges - combined sewage overflow, invasive species, potential landslides - are not isolated issues, but interconnected threads in the urban ecological tapestry. They are urgent signals of how ecological neglect cascades into threats to human safety and infrastructure. In this microcosm, we see the stark reality of our cities' ecological interdependence and the pressing need for a new paradigm of urban development.
Community-Led Urban Restoration through Biomimetic Invasive Species Management
ArtEcology co-founded Friends of South Side Park and served as Director of Green Space Projects, leading comprehensive planning and community engagement efforts. Through roles as Park Planner & Designer and Advisory Committee member for the South Side Park Master Plan, ArtEcology delivered extensive research including the Report on Public Use, User Survey, South Side Park Map and Guide, and the detailed Master Plan.
We coordinated innovative invasive species removal using Allegheny Goatscape, an urban goat herd that cleared invasive plants from the valley section of the park, preparing the area for native restoration tree planting to stabilize slopes. Through co-developing the Friends of South Side Park organization representing park users, we led GoatFest 2018 & 2019, creating 2 major park gatherings that attracted 8,000+ attendees while celebrating the intersection of urban ecology and community stewardship. We also mobilized 500+ volunteers across 40+ events for ongoing invasive species management and park cleanup efforts.
The formation of Friends of South Side Park represents a growing consciousness - a shift from passive park users to active ecosystem stewards. Their innovative approach to tackling invasive species in Jurassic Valley, using urban goat herds, is an example of biomimicry in urban land management. It's not just about clearing unwanted plants and planting restoration trees; it's about relearning to work with nature rather than against it.
We're not just restoring a park; we're cultivating a new way of being - one where urban development and ecological preservation are harmonious partners in creating resilient, vibrant urban communities.
South Side Park is a story of our enduring connection to the natural world - even in the heart of our cities.
FAQs
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Pittsburgh, PA; 2015-2018
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Co-Founder, Friends of South Side Park; GoatFest; Director of Green Space Projects, Park Planner & Designer; Advisory Committee, South Side Park Master Plan
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Report on the Public Use of South Side Park, South Side Park Master Plan, User Survey of South Side Park, Invasive Species Removal with Allegheny Goatscape, South Side Park Map and Guide, GoatFest 2018 & GoatFest 2019, 40+ volunteer events, 500+ volunteers; 2 major park events, 8,000+ attendees
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Department of Planning City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Hilltop Alliance, Friends of South Side Park, Allegheny Goatscape, Studio Bryan Hanes, Brean Associates, Allegheny County Conservation District, Student Conservation Association, Landforce, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association, Bandi Schaum Community Garden, GTECH Bandi Schaum Trailhead Project, Arlington Civic Association, Landforce, South Side Athletic Association, Student Conservation Association, South Side Bears, Pittsburgh Sports League, Monster Sports, CitiParks, Arlington Recreation Center, Brashear Association Henry Kaufman House, and residents of South Side Flats, South Side Slopes, and Arlington neighborhoods
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South Side Park is a Forgotten Gem and a Future Asset, Pittsburgh Magazine
Allegheny Goatscape offers novelty, sustainability as the herd embarks on a mission to clean up Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh City Paper
Nine Goats and a Miniature Donkey may help clear overgrowth in South Side Park, Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Pet Tales: At Goat Fest, the stars eat weeds and pose for selfies, Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Step One in Creating a Better South Side Park: bring in the goats, Next Pittsburgh
South Side Park is a Forgotten Gem and a Future Asset, Pittsburgh Magazine