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Welcome!
The USC Citizens for Land Stewardship
(USC CLS) would like to welcome you to our website. We are a community
conservation organization serving Upper St.Clair, PA. Here
you
will find information
about local conservation happenings and issues. As an organization, we
are committed to promoting
-
education on environmental issues
-
prudent and ethical land use
policies
to protect and enhance natural resources
-
awareness of the value of our
natural
landscapes
-
recognition of the enjoyment and
benefits of natural spaces within our community
-
activities that promote harmony
between people and nature
-
watershed restoration and
re-introduction of native plant species
CLS also offers a variety of outdoor
activities in
celebration of our area's wonderful natural spaces throughout the year.
Be sure to check this page often for news of what is happening or
coming up in the natural world of USC!
Current
Issues:
Strip Mining - The
Risk is Past
Mayview
State Hospital property will be developed without mining
South Fayette Township is working
with Charter Homes & Neighborhoods of Lancaster to create a
new development to be called Hastings. The first phase will
consist of 44 single-family homes, 49 townhouses and 260 apartments
along with a restaurant, pool, clubhouse and day-care center.
Upper St. Clair Township is working with the developer to provide
a connecting trail across or around this property so that the Boyce
Mayview Park Perimeter Trail can connect to a proposed connection to
the Montour Trail which is south of the site.
The developer does not plan to either strip mine or conduct fracking on
the site. USC CLS actively encouraged the South Fayette Planning
Commission not to approve a zoing change which would have enable
the site to be strip mined before developed for longer term uses.
We are pleased that this is not going to happen. We will be
following the project as it develops and encourage responsible land use
practices when appropriate..
Light
Pollution
Boyce Mayview Park has
become one of
the most successful
stories of conservation in Upper St. Clair, as well as a fantastic
resource for
our community with the Community and Recreation Center, many hiking
trails, and The
Outdoor
Classroom. USC CLS is proud to have been a voice in the process that
has
allowed the Master Plan to come to life on the 450 acre site. However,
while
the development of the site into an accessible and popular park has
been
inspiring, it is important to consider the effects that any development
have on
the natural spaces nearby. One of the main issues that comes into play
with any
developed space is light pollution. As of July 1, 2013, Upper St. Clair
Township has approved temporary lighting for the ball fields at Boyce
Mayview
Park, including the Miracle Field.
USC CLS understands the
appeal of
lighting the fields for
evening ball games with bright, stadium-style lighting in the park.
However,
USC CLS is hoping to eliminate any unnecessary use of these lights in
order to
minimize the effects that light pollution will have on not only the
habitats in
Boyce Mayview Park, but also the wildlife and people living in
surrounding
areas.
What is light pollution
and why is it
a concern? Light
pollution can be described as the often disruptive impact of artificial
light
on both the darkness of the night sky and the light-related biological
rhythms
of life in the lighted area. As stated in a 2008 National
Geographic report on light pollution, “Ill-designed
lighting washes out the darkness of night and radically alters the
light
levels—and light rhythms—to which many forms of
life,
including ourselves, have
adapted. Wherever human light spills into the natural world, some
aspect of
life—migration, reproduction, feeding—is
affected.”
You are likely already familiar
with the effects of light pollution if you have ever compared the view
of the
night sky in a city to a rural area. However, the effects of light
pollution
are not limited to cities; the type of lighting proposed for the
athletic
fields at Boyce Mayview Park would bring the same negative outcomes of
light
pollution to the surrounding areas in USC. We are calling for a
sensible plan
for the management of these lights, including exploring options such as
timers
and pay per use similar to the successful setup of the township tennis
bubbles.
Below
are some useful links to learn more about light pollution,
including the website of the International Dark Sky Association.
http://www.darksky.org/
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/plandev/Downloads/Athletic_Field_Lighting_draft0710.pdf
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/light-pollution/klinkenborg-text
http://www.treehugger.com/culture/darkness-natural-resource-and-were-losing-it.html
Looking to get
involved? Volunteer with us!
There are many volunteer opportunities
with USC CLS. Are you a student in
need of service hours? Are you retired and looking for a way to stay
active and involved in the community? Do you have special skills that
you could use to assist a small community group? Do you simply love the
great outdoors? No matter what your interests, USC CLS can use your
help! We are a friendly, passionate community and would love to have
you on board. Please contact us at usccls@usccls.org
for more
information.
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Visit this page often for
the latest CLS news and events!
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