Boyce-Mayview
 Conservation Area
aerial view of Boyce-Mayview conservation area, in bright green with trails highlighted in orange, showing relation to surrounding PennDOT wetlands, adjacent Wingfield Pines floodplain and smaller conserved parcels highlighted in darker green

Located in Upper St. Clair Township, the 475 acre Boyce Mayview Park is bounded on the west by Chartiers Creek and the extensive wetlands constructed and owned by PennDOT, providing a diverse wildlife habitat, which ranges from hilltop to the creek valley -- incorporating steep slopes, flat meadows and wetlands that support waterfowl and native plants.

meadow in Boyce-Mayview conservation area

Miles of trail thread through open meadows and forests, and gently traverse high value habitats and restoration areas. Stretched along Chartiers Creek, the park acts as a giant filter for urban storm water runoff from adjacent development.

Environmental preservation and recreation are placed in the context of a larger message of sustainable development and community, represented by the newly opened Regional Environmental Education Center (REEC).

 Wingfield Pines
Conservation Area

aerial view of Wingfield Pines conservation area bounded by Chartiers Creek to the west. The property is contiguous with Boyce-Mayview to the south and east

Located within the townships of Upper St. Clair and South Fayette in the southwestern corner of Allegheny County, this 80-acre property purchased by Allegheny Land Trust in 2001 is situated within the floodplain of Chartiers Creek, which meanders along the western edge. 

Plans call for a canoe landing on the Chartiers Creek, a birding area, and abandoned mine drainage (AMD) remediation site.  Recreational activities include ice skating, dog walking, cross-country skiing and hiking.

thistles at dusk

The Wingfield Pines floodplain contains both wetland and meadow habitat, encircled by forested steep slope and riparian zones

University of Michigan students working towards their Master of Landscape Architecture degrees have created a master plan to restore and ecologically rehabilitate the land, which is located primarily in the floodplain meadows and wetlands of Chartiers Creek.

The design includes an educational program and improvements to public access.

The land has seen more than of its share of human use and abuse. Strip-mined in the 1940’s and later turned into the Wingfield Pines Golf and Swim Club, Wingfield Pines is among several restoration and enhancement projects undertaken in the Chartiers Valley, following the trend of green corridors and ecological parks that are currently being developed in this watershed.

Allegheny Land Trust is constructing a system to treat iron-laden mine discharge that is running at 1,500 – 2,000 gallons per minute across the property into Chartiers Creek. The passive treatment system operates by gravity and will remove 43 tons of iron oxide from the mine drainage before it enters the Creek. The iron oxide will be harvested and sold as pigment. The system will occupy approximately 20 acres of the 80 acre site and can accommodate trails, overlooks and interpretative signage providing educational opportunities.
Regional map highlights Wingfield Pines, Mayview Wetlands and Boyce Park conservation areas in relation to the Chartiers greenway and surrounding watershed area