Podcast series returns to celebrate the people and supporters who work to keep city parks welcoming for all

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy knows it has made great progress in its parks the past several years and as it approaches its 30^th anniversary. So it’s bringing back its original podcast series, “For the Love of Parks,” to tell that story.

Four episodes will “shines a spotlight on the people and partnerships that keep Pittsburgh’s parks vibrant, accessible and welcoming for all,” a news release stated.

The inaugural 12-episode series released in 2021 in the aftermath of the pandemic explored the history and legacy of Pittsburgh’s green spaces, according to conservancy Director of Marketing and Communications Alana Wenk.

The new season shifts the focus to “today’s park users, advocates and staff whose work continues to transform and sustain the city’s park system.” 

This season’s four episodes reflect recent work the conservancy has completed or is continuing work on now: 

• “Hays Woods: From Coal Mines to Conservation – Part I and II”: An introduction to Pittsburgh’s newest and wildest city park, uncovering its industrial past, ecological challenges and the partnerships driving its restoration. 
• “The People Behind the Petals”: A behind-the-scenes look at the conservancy’s horticulture team and stewards who bring life, color and biodiversity to Pittsburgh’s green spaces year-round. 
• “Built for the Future: Accessible Park Spaces”: Featuring conservancy Chief of Operations Ross Chapman and parent and accessibility advocate Leah Northrop, it highlights recent accessibility improvements like the new Sensory Nature Trail and what’s ahead for creating more inclusive park spaces.  

“With this season of ‘For the Love of Parks,’ we wanted to capture what’s happening on the ground in our parks right now,” conservancy President and CEO Catherine Qureshi said in the release. “From restoration to accessibility, these episodes shine a light on the important work underway across the region, thanks to our longstanding partnership with the city of Pittsburgh.” 

Wenk said the original podcast series, which remains on the conservancy website and involved conservancy founder Meg Cheever, was well received. Andy Danyo Kubis helped create that series, and this time the conservancy did much of the work in-house with assistance from Natalie Bencivenga and Sara Bauknecht of XSquared Media. It includes a video version, Wenk said, so everyone can see the recording in the studio.

She said the conservancy has been working on the podcast for about a year. “We wanted to take the time to think this through, create thoughtful content,” Wenk said. “[We asked] what do people want to know about [in the parks]?”

Bencivenga serves as the host for the four episodes. Conservancy staff interviewed in addition to Chapman and Northrop are ecology coordinator Jared Belsky; Kate St. John from Friends of Hays Woods, a volunteer group that helps there; and horticulturalists Jaci Bruschi and Angela Yuele. 

“It’s a nice way to round out the year,” Wenk said, “bring some warmth and joy as we go into holiday season.”

The series is available for free on the conservancy’s website and on major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Planning has begun for the next series, and the process will start in a few weeks. Wenk said that it will focus on people in the parks, those who enjoy the spaces. The hope is to expand it to eight episodes, and anyone with an interesting story about the parks could be included. To be considered for one of those episodes, email Wenk at awenk@pittsburghparks.org.