Pre-Conference Field Trips: Wednesday, November 6
Field trips require advance registration and an additional fee.
Space is limited and early registration is recommended.
Registration closes on October 31.
All trips depart from the lobby entrance at the Westin Pittsburgh.
Art and Nature at Fallingwater and Bear Run Nature Reserve
8:30 AM–4:00 PM EST
Price: $140
Journey 70 miles east of Pittsburgh to the Laurel Highlands of Southwestern Pennsylvania for a visit to Bear Run Nature Reserve, the flagship property of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, which provides the setting for Fallingwater, the internationally acclaimed house designed in 1935 by world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Includes transportation, lunch, and entry fees.
Detailed Description:
Designed in 1935 by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater was a private residence and weekend home for the family of Pittsburgh department store owner Edgar J. Kaufmann, Sr. Fallingwater is one of Wright’s most widely acclaimed works and best exemplifies his philosophy of organic architecture: the harmonious union of art and nature.
In October 1963, Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. entrusted Fallingwater to the care of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Today, people from around the world have visited and experienced Fallingwater and its surrounding landscape.
The generous donation of Fallingwater in 1963 included approximately 1,500 beautiful acres of land surrounding Fallingwater and the Bear Run stream. Today, this land is known as the popular Conservancy-owned Bear Run Nature Reserve, a 5,115-acre natural area that supports hiking, camping, fishing, and other recreation opportunities.
The visit will include a tour of Fallingwater’s grounds, offering a view of the landscape of Bear Run through the eyes of Frank Lloyd Wright and the sources of inspiration for Fallingwater’s sculptural shape, colors, materials, and inviting textures. After the Fallingwater grounds tour, the lunch session will include time for networking and discussion, as well as an overview of Fallingwater and Conservancy education initiatives. After lunch, participants will join Land Stewardship and Education staff on a one-hour hike of Bear Run Nature Reserve.
Things to know to prepare for your trip:
- The hike includes slopes and rocky terrain of moderate difficulty, so walking shoes/boots are required. Walking shoes/boots may get muddy (depending on the weather)
- Wear clothing suitable for being outdoors.
Behind the Scenes at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
9:30 AM–4:30 PM EST
Price: $50
Join staff from Carnegie Museum of Natural History for a behind-the-scenes look at how research, community partnerships, exhibitions, and programs can examine the past and envision the future. Explore iconic exhibits, visit seldom-seen scientific collections, talk honestly about ethical challenges in museums, and test new ideas for visitor engagement. Includes transportation via public transportation, lunch, and museum admission.
Detailed Description:
Meet educators and scientists from Carnegie Museum of Natural History for a behind-the-scenes look at how we work together to deepen wonder and advance understanding of our natural world—past and present—in order to embrace responsibility for our collective future. We promise a warm welcome, a nourishing lunch, and a day full of camaraderie with peers who care deeply about our role as humans and the connections we have with the rest of nature. Together, we’ll explore how science helps us understand the natural world, while taking a critical look at how interdisciplinary approaches with external partners are necessary to deepen knowledge, build community, and achieve more just and equitable futures.
Tour iconic dinosaur exhibitions, visit botanical collections, and participate in activities that explore the challenges of discussing climate change in a region with deep cultural ties to fossil fuel extraction. Pilot activities that explore the meaning of invasive species, and integrate lessons learned from a collaborative project that examines the scientific and social complexities of introduced plants. Learn how museum staff are building relationships with Indigenous communities whose cultural materials are in our care and how our practice of land acknowledgment is growing through this work.
Admission to Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History is included, and the program includes free time in the afternoon to explore exhibitions in both museums at your own pace. Lunch and transportation via public bus are included.
Things to know to prepare for your trip:
- Temperatures within different areas in the historic building can vary. Dressing in layers is recommended.
- Backpacks must be carried in hand or worn on the front while in museum galleries.
- The Café Carnegie coffee and wine bar will be open during the two-hour time block (2:00–4:00 PM) you’ll be touring on your own. Bring money if you would like additional refreshments.
Exploring Pittsburgh’s Parks: Frick Environmental Center and Emerald View
9:30 AM–3:30 PM EST
Price: $125
Experience two gems of Pittsburgh’s park system: Frick Environmental Center (morning) and Emerald View Park (afternoon). The Living Building-certified Frick Environmental Center is one of the greenest public buildings in the world. Emerald View Park offers glimpses of downtown Pittsburgh from a 2-mile loop winding around the hillsides of Mount Washington. Includes transportation and lunch.
Detailed description:
Experience two gems of the City of Pittsburgh’s park system: Frick Environmental Center and Emerald View Park. Located in the 650+ acre Frick Park, the Living Building Challenge-certified Frick Environmental Center is one of the greenest public buildings in the world. Educators from Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy will conduct a sustainability-focused tour of the building and grounds, followed by a short walk guided by the Conservancy’s Horticulture and Forestry staff highlighting ecological restoration work in the park.
The group will eat lunch at the Environmental Center, indoors or outdoors as weather permits.
After lunch, travel to Emerald View Park for a ranger-led hike of just over two miles, with a 300+ foot elevation change. Emerald View Park grew out of the combination of three historic parks and the Grand View Scenic Byway and offers winding trails, wooded hillsides, and surprise vistas. Emerald View showcases how it’s possible to create natural havens in heavily impacted urban areas.
Field trip participants should expect to be on their feet for much of the day and be prepared to walk on steep grades and uneven surfaces. This trip will run rain or shine, although severe weather may curtail the afternoon portion.
Things to know to prepare for your trip:
- Be prepared for the weather. In November, Pittsburgh can expect high temperatures between 30 and 50 degrees and a high likelihood of rain.
- Wear shoes you will be comfortable walking in over several miles and on uneven ground.
- Frick Environmental Center has restrooms, but there are no restrooms along the planned Emerald View trail route.
Haul from the Hollow: Hike and Bike Through Pittsburgh’s Transformation
9:00 AM–4:00 PM EST
Price: $115
Experience Pittsburgh’s industrial past and environmentally reclaimed present on a roughly 3-mile hike and 20-mile bike ride that visits an industrial site reclaimed by nature and spooky folklore, a rail trail that exemplifies Pittsburgh’s transition from industry to livability, and a German brewery located at a recently developed, publicly accessible riverfront park. Includes transportation to the Hollow, morning snacks, and bike rental (with delivery, fitting, helmet, flat repair kits, and locks). Lunch at Hofbräuhaus is not included; participants will order off the menu and pay on their own.
Detailed Description:
Experience Pittsburgh’s industrial past and environmentally reclaimed present on a roughly 3-mile hike and 20-mile bike ride that visits an industrial site reclaimed by nature and spooky folklore, a rail trail that exemplifies Pittsburgh’s transition from industry to livability, and a German brewery located at a recently developed, publicly accessible riverfront park.
Participants will start the day with a hike along Dead Man’s Hollow’s haunted trails through industrial ruins; then continue by bicycle along the GAP, which connects Pittsburgh and Washington DC; stop for lunch at the Hofbräuhaus near the newly developed riverfront park; and finish downtown at the Golden Triangle Bike Rental Shop to experience the connectivity between nature and city. The day concludes with a 1-mile walk back to the hotel through Pittsburgh’s downtown with an ALT staff member.
Dead Man’s Hollow was Allegheny Land Trust’s first conserved green space, and it remains among its most popular with hiker cyclists, hikers, birders, and nature lovers alike! No matter the season, its flora and fauna love to show off amidst the industrial ruins, hills, and valleys within the green space.
Things to know to prepare for your trip:
- Participants should be able to hike down steep terrain, be confident cycling on a rails-to-trail style trail, and be comfortable crossing several intersections shared with cars.
- Light precipitation will not cancel this ride, but extreme wet, cold, or storm events may cancel the ride.
- Wear that will keep you warm while not overheating while hiking and biking. Bring a layer for any forecasted precipitation.
- Closed-toe, athletic shoes to accommodate hiking and biking are recommended.
- Bring a water bottle, a backpack for carrying any shed layers, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
- You’ll need cash or a credit card to cover your lunch at Hofbräuhaus. The menu offers vegetarian options.