To celebrate 2024 Earth Day and Arbor Day, employees from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) volunteered in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Tree Pittsburgh, Facility Operations and Resource Planning and the City of Pittsburgh, to plant 115 trees. This effort was part of a larger project aimed at reforesting a site affected by city utility construction, with 1,200 trees planted over four phases.
As part of FHLBank’s sustained environmental volunteerism, employees contributed to the beautification and restoration of Riverview Park, and engaged in team building during this local project.
“Environmental volunteerism in local parks not only reinforces our commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) imperatives, but also strengthens our community bonds,” says Robin Noack, Senior ESG Strategy and Governance Manager at FHLBank. “We look forward to revisiting these saplings as they become an urban forest and continuing our environmental initiatives alongside our regional partners.”
Regional partners were essential to this project. "Riverview Park is a beautiful and hidden gem of the Northside. Despite its recent recognition as an arboretum, it still needs so much love and support to ensure that its tree canopy will continue to grow strong roots," said Jaime Filipek of the Friends of Riverview Park. "That's why volunteer tree plantings are so vital to the park's growth and future success. The energy that tree plantings bring to the park creates positive change for years to come and we are so grateful for that lasting impact."
This component of FHLBank’s ESG work follows a Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy volunteer event at Kennard Park, where employees participated in an environmental clean-up in a neighborhood recovering from economic disinvestment.
Catherine Quereshi, President and CEO, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, reflected on both events and collaboration, “Partners like FHLBank are instrumental toward the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s efforts to invest in cleaner and greener parks for all and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders and the stewards of tomorrow. Through hands-on volunteerism and financial contributions, FHLBank embodies what it means to be a corporate partner committed to a more sustainable future for our parks and our planet.”
****
Review FHLBank’s 2023 Impact Report to learn more about our environmental, social and governance approach: https://www.fhlb-pgh.com/files/resources/24-57.pdf.
