Harrison, ATI and Western PA Conservancy partner to 'put trees to bed for winter'

Harrison resident Sharon Ellis spent much of Tuesday morning weeding and mulching around the trees that dot the grass outside the Highlands High School football stadium along California Avenue.

“Trees are good for the health of the community and it’s important that you take care of them properly,” Ellis said, demonstrating that mulch should be laid thick and smooth, never piled up into a “volcano.”

The work was part of a collaborative effort between the township’s tree committee, ATI and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) to pour some love into several dozen bald cypress, birch, elm and pine trees that were planted on district property in 2018.

“We’re basically putting them to bed for the winter,” said Alicia Wehrle, the conservancy’s community forestry project coordinator.

“Everyone is always so excited to plant trees, but people forget how important it is to take good care of them.”

This was the inaugural maintenance event by the trio of partners but not the first effort to spruce up the community.

The township, ATI and the conservancy have worked together several times in recent years to plant more than 225 trees across the township.

A $250,000 grant from The Pittsburgh Foundation to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy paid for trees along California and 12th avenues, near the tennis courts, Golden Rams Stadium, and the entire stretch behind the high school and youth baseball fields.

Other outings have seen trees planted along Union Avenue, and others along Federal and Sycamore streets in the township’s Natrona neighborhood.

“This is just another opportunity for collaboration,” said township Commissioner Chuck Dizard, who spearheaded the tree efforts over the years. “It looks beautiful when it’s done.”

On Tuesday, 18 ATI employees joined six township tree committee volunteers and three Western Pennsylvania Conservancy staffers.

“We’re weeding, raking and removing ‘sucker’ branches,” said township resident Cynthia Adams, who worked in a small group with Ellis and ATI employee Changli Wang.

Together, they poured buckets of mulch around the base of each tree; they agreed that it was a great way to spend the morning.

ATI account representative Kelly Schmidt said the tree-tending is a way for the specialty metals manufacturer to establish itself as a community partner.

“Everyone likes to help the Earth, right?” asked Schmidt, a 23-year employee who has volunteered at past outreach events to paint restrooms at Northmoreland Park in Allegheny Township and at the Girl Scout cabin in New Kensington.

“Plus, it’s better than sitting at my desk!”

Wehrle thanked the volunteers for their efforts and said the work couldn’t be done without them.

“It’s an amazing difference from start to finish,” she said. “It’s like, wow. They just look great.”