Green Roof Tour at Pittsburgh Zoo

On October 16, 2013, Jim Pashek joined old friends on a “Rooftop Rendezvous at the Zoo” sponsored by Green Building Alliance.  Jim was involved with project management of the “New Zoo” beginning in the early 1980’s and had the pleasure to work over the years with our tour guides that night, Frank Pizzi and Marjorie Marks.

Zoo Rooftop Garden - Extensive Plantings

What a spectacular demonstration rooftop garden.  About half of the planted roof area is an “extensive” roof garden with 3-4 inches of special soil mix.  The other half was this lush “intensive” rooftop garden of plants placed in a special soil mix ranging from 3-36 inches.  You can tell from the photos that they have been successful to identify species that can thrive in a very hot micro climate and in very shallow soils. 

Carex pennsylvanica

The garden got me thinking that the rooftop garden at Pashek Associates is ready for an overhaul.  This “extensive” garden is planted in trays on 4 inches of special soil mix.  We decided to try four varieties of sedums to see which would survive in very difficult site conditions.  They all survived and have never been watered since after the first growing season.

Some plants that we may plant include Carex pennsylvanica (the small grass clump like plants), which is one of the few sedges that tolerates very dry conditions.  I find it interesting that I would normally use Carex P. in part to full shade but at the Zoo, it is doing great in full sun.  I also think we will try in our rooftop garden Schizachryium scoparium, a plant that is home on the prairie and thrives in hot, dry, well drained conditions (the typical rooftop garden).

Schizachryium scoparium

Frank, thank you for a very informative presentation and tour of the Zoo’s rooftop garden gem.  Thanks also to the GBA for arranging the tour.  We look forward to another rooftop garden tour sponsored by GBA in November at the Convention Center, a green roof designed by Pashek Associates and installed by Eilser Nurseries.  Maybe next summer we will have more pictures of our newly renovated rooftop garden at Pashek Associates.  Please stop in and ask for a tour of our garden here on the Northside.

Designing Dog Parks without Fences

More and more people are hoping that the next park will include an area designated for their dogs so they can run around unleashed.  If properly designed, they take up an area of 2-3 acres so that there are lower concentrations of ammonia and the turf can survive.  Often, designers will fence in these parks and some include separate areas for larger dogs and smaller dogs.  Still other designs include a fenced off area that is allowed to rest while the dogs enjoy the other parts of the dog park.  Recently, our client, Ron Woodhead, suggested that the fenced areas not lead to corners where dogs or people could be trapped.  So we are rounding the fence line to avoid those corners in future dog parks.

Some communities have taken another approach to dog parks.  They have taken a natural area with trails and have permitted dogs to be off leash in the park.  Depending on the features of the natural terrain, these can be very beautiful places to get exercise for both you and the dog.  Fox Chapel Borough has a dog park that does not have any fencing, called Riding Meadow Park.  It is very popular and draws people from around the region.  People can walk their dogs along a stream or hike through a riparian landscape as the work their way up the valley toward Beechwood Farms.

The challenge, as we have learned recently, is that a park that accommodates dogs is also used for other park-like activities, like jogging.  We have also learned that not all dog owners have total control of their dog.  Unfortunately, there can be conflicts with non-dog owners and an unrestrained dog.  From a risk management perspective, how do these two groups coexist peacefully without sacrificing the benefits of a beautiful off leash area for dogs?  Fox Chapel Borough is working with their risk management consultant to see if they can accommodate both groups and provide a wonderful park for everyone that is safe.

Jim Pashek is chair of the Fox Chapel Borough Park Commission and looks forward to sharing more “lessons learned” regarding off leash areas in parks as time goes by.