A quiet transformation is underway at Twin Hills Trails Park, where volunteers, conservationists and community partners are working to restore one of Mt. Lebanon’s most environmentally sensitive natural spaces.
Thanks to a nearly $10,000 grant from the Eaton Charitable Fund, the Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy has begun a large-scale effort to revive the park’s riparian ecosystem — removing invasive species and reintroducing native plants, trees and shrubs along the streambank that winds through the 25-acre woodland.
As summer approaches, birdwatchers, dog walkers and hikers are once again filling Mt. Lebanon’s local parks. Twin Hills Trails, nestled between Mt. Lebanon and Scott Township, remains a favorite destination for residents in the Twin Hills neighborhood. The park features nine trails and paths for easy hiking, along with wooden bridges, benches, stairs and even a birdwatching hut for hobbyist birders.
But decades of yard waste dumping, combined with seeds spread by birds and wind, allowed invasive, non-native species to take hold throughout the streambeds, slowly degrading the fragile ecosystem.
In March, the Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy received the Eaton Charitable Fund grant, making restoration of the riparian area possible. The fund is part of Eaton Corp., a power management company with locations in the Pittsburgh region. Environmental stewardship and support for local nonprofit organizations are central pillars of the company’s philanthropic mission.
“We were so lucky to get this grant,” said board member and landscape architect Elaine Kramer, who spearheaded the grant-writing effort alongside Vice President of Projects Ron Block. “It makes it possible to get this project done in the park.”
The riparian area — meaning streamside or riverbank — is located in the center of the park, with Hill Hollow Trail and the Monarch Loop Trail running through it. A healthy, biodiverse riparian helps filter pollutants, reduce erosion and create a natural buffer while also providing important habitat for wildlife.
“It’s really important in ecology to repair riparian zones because you will have cleaner water, less erosion and cooler water, too,” Kramer said. “It really diversifies the woodland, which is great for insects, animals and people. All of these animals are able to thrive in environments where native plants thrive.”
Twin Hills was designated a Natural Heritage Area in 2021 due to the presence of two rare snail species: the Maryland Glyph and Armed Snaggletooth. According to LeboNature, preserving the park’s natural landscape is crucial to the survival of the mollusks.
The restoration project is already halfway complete. During early spring, volunteers removed three invasive species — Japanese honeysuckle, privet and double-file viburnum — and replaced them with 58 species native to Western Pennsylvania.
In April and May, volunteers from LeboNature, Bower Hill Community Church and Scouting America Troop 22 planted 47 trees, 147 shrubs, 164 perennials and 10 pounds of native grasses and wildflowers. Species added to the landscape include Kentucky coffeetrees, umbrella magnolias, shortleaf pines, Eastern wahoo shrubs and winterberry.
“We love to have people volunteer to come help,” Kramer said. “We get a lot of first-time volunteers, and we enjoy teaching them how to plant trees and shrubs correctly. Whatever knowledge level they bring, we love to help them.”
The group plans to complete the second half of the riparian restoration project this fall by adding additional native species to continue rebuilding the ecosystem. Funding also has been allocated to install four new benches along the trails for visitors enjoying the restored natural space.
“People who visit the woods often take great comfort in nature — they feel restored and renewed in the woods,” Kramer said. “In the coming months and years, they will see again what Pennsylvania woods are supposed to look like.”
Twin Hills Riparian Project 2026 Spring planting totals
(Planted along stream bank and nearby hillsides)
Trees (46 trees,
18 species)
(2) Silver maple
(1) Red maple
(3) Mountain maple
(2) River birch
(9) American hornbeam
(3) Bitternut hickory
(2) Shagbark hickory
(2) Redbud
(2) Hackberry
(1) White dogwood
(1) Kentucky coffeetree
(1) Umbrella magnolia
(3) Blackgum
(5) Shortleaf pine
(3) Eastern hoptree
(2) Swamp white oak
(3) Chestnut oak
(1) Sycamore
Shrubs (includes plugs and live stakes)
(147 plants, 8 species)
(2) Eastern wahoo
(3) Winterberry
(2) Black chokeberry
(40) Buttonbush
(25) Sandbar willow
(25) Red osier dogwood
(25) Silky dogwood
(25) Elderberry
Perennials (164 plants, 4 species)
(50) Golden ragwort
(32) Christmas fern
(50) Clustered mountain mint
(32) Leavenworth sedge
10 lbs native grass and wildflower mix (29 native species within the mix)
To learn more about the riparian project or volunteer opportunities, visit LeboNature.
