The best kind of legal victory is the one that keeps on giving. Take Hays Woods in Pittsburgh, for example. Did you know that bald eagles nested there this summer?
Sounds incredible, but it's true.
These majestic creatures, with their seven-foot wingspan soaring mid-air, make every sighting breathtaking. Watching eagles fly is a thrilling experience that can stop you in your tracks. Their continued recovery in Pennsylvania, and throughout the nation, is one of our great wildlife conservation stories.
Soaring eagle
Photo by Tom Moeller, Pittsburgh, PA
Hays Woods, a 600-plus acre wooded property in the Hays district of the City of Pittsburgh, sets high on a hilltop overlooking the Monongahela River. It is the single largest undeveloped piece of property in the city.
In 2003, area residents let PennFuture know that a proposed strip mine for the property would level its hills and fill its stream valleys to pave the way for a race track and casino. PennFuture led the way to oppose what amounted to mountain top mining in the City of Pittsburgh. We partnered with neighbors, grassroots organizations, activists, university students, and concerned decision makers to fight to protect the woodland and streams for local wildlife. The legal and education work that began in 2003 culminated in 2009 with a major victory for Hays Woods and Pittsburgh's environment.
In 2003, area residents let PennFuture know that a proposed strip mine for the property would level its hills and fill its stream valleys to pave the way for a race track and casino. PennFuture led the way to oppose what amounted to mountain top mining in the City of Pittsburgh. We partnered with neighbors, grassroots organizations, activists, university students, and concerned decision makers to fight to protect the woodland and streams for local wildlife. The legal and education work that began in 2003 culminated in 2009 with a major victory for Hays Woods and Pittsburgh's environment.
The arrival of a nesting pair of bald eagles has brought renewed attention to Hays Woods, an area that many local residents would like to conserve permanently. Those thoughts would no longer be possible but for the efforts of PennFuture. We are proud to have played a role in keeping that long term goal alive. It is but one example of the work that we do to protect and sustain the natural habitats of Pennsylvania's wildlife.
A pair of nesting bald eagles in Pittsburgh's Hays Woods are now parents.
Photo by Tom Moeller, Pittsburgh, Pa.
