July 4- Walk in upper Oakland.  Please let me know you are coming.  Joel Platt-412-521-5244 , joelplat@yahoo.com

This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

Tree Pittsburgh icon.

A few days after the formal opening of the Clean Rivers Campaign, it was encouraging to read about the launching of an Urban Forest Master Plan for Pittsburgh. Commissioned by Tree Pittsburgh, and described by Justin Hopper in the Post-Gazette. Although the city’s tree canopy of 42 percent is greater than that of ‘leafy’ cities such as Seattle, Tree Pittsburgh calls for more and healthier trees in the city. That bodes well for needed retention of storm water as suggested by the Clean Rivers Campaign. Tree Pittsburgh will be among the Pittsburgh Greenspace Alliance presenters at the City Council post-agenda meeting at 1:00 pm this coming Tuesday.

July 11-Hike at Veterans Center at Highland Drive-Jim Hurst-412-267-0447

This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

The falls at Ohiopyle. Photo courtesy of PA DCNR.

Members and their friends are invited to take part in the Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter’s annual member outing and retreat at Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County! There are lots of activities for everyone, with hikes, an ‘alternative energies’ tour’, and a Marcellus Visual Assessment Training session. On Saturday evening there will be a potluck and BBQ dinner with free burgers and hot dogs provided by the Chapter, followed by a talk by local biologist Dr. Cindy Walters.

For a schedule of activities and a registration form click HERE. (more…)

Over a period of two weeks anti-fracking activists plan to ride from Butler PA to Washington DC to collect at least 150 stories from people who are adversely impacted by shale gas industry operations. The Tour de Frack action is open to all cyclists and follows the Great Allegheny Passage from July 15 to July 28, with a variety of events, explorations, filming, and interviews along the way. The collected testimonies, videos, and petition will be presented to officials in Washington. For more information, contact Michael Bagdes Canning at ( mbagdes at embarqmail dot com).

July 18-Todds Nature Preserve-Jim Ritchie-412-828-0210, cell 412-567-0849

This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

July 25-Roaring Run-Apollo-Jack and Judy Koslow- 724-327-8707

This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

Demonstrations against the dangers of ‘fracking’ are about to move from the state level to the national scene with the largest-ever anti-fracking event in Washington DC on Saturday, July 28. Among the leading sponsors are Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Earthworks, NRDC, and the Sierra Club. Activists from Western Pennsylvania will be interested to know that this event, announced May 1, will be the concluding event of the ‘Tour de Frack’. Information about bus rides to this DC event from Pittsburgh will soon be posted on this Website.