Pittsburgh's Urban Wilderness

This piece from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review looks at the rising amount of wildlife being seen in urban Pittsburgh. According to local experts, this trend has both good and bad implications.

1 minute read

November 4, 2008, 9:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"The dramatic migration of wildlife into the city of Pittsburgh tells a tale of successful conservation and animal adaptation. Forty years ago, there hardly was a deer or turkey within city limits."

"Today, they literally walk in groups up city streets. Other forms of wildlife have followed."

"Bald eagles have been visiting Pittsburgh during the past few years. Last year, two adults and a juvenile wintered along the Allegheny."

"Their presence is testimony to a successful conservation effort. In 1980, only three pairs of eagles nested in the state, but between 1983 and 1989, the Pennsylvania Game Commission released numerous young eagles. Today, the state has more than 100 breeding pairs."

"Beth Fife, wildlife conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Game Commission in this region, sees the presence of such animals as evidence that the rivers are cleaner. She cites river otters as an example."

Monday, November 3, 2008 in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation