Writer: Melis Turku Topa

September 2025  — Pittsburgh’s story is often told through steel mills, medical breakthroughs, and cutting-edge technology. Yet another chapter is unfolding, one rooted in the city’s natural heritage.

From the calls of rare birds at the National Aviary to the immersive exhibits at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, and the green spaces like Phipps Conservatory and Botanic Garden to the preserved landscapes of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, these institutions are protecting nature while inviting people to appreciate and understand it. By blending environmental research, hands-on education, and experiences that draw visitors from near and far, Pittsburgh’s conservation community is shaping economic growth, strengthening civic pride, and building resilience for the future.

These local strengths are part of a larger statewide trend: Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy grew to nearly $19 billion in 2023, supporting more than 168,000 jobs. The sector now rivals and even surpasses traditional industries, while nationally outdoor recreation contributes $1.2 trillion and 5 million jobs. 

To capture this momentum, Gov. Josh Shapiro launched the Office of Outdoor Recreation in 2023, which is cultivating an Outdoor Business Alliance to expand investment, workforce capacity, and policy coordination across the state. 

As Pennsylvania’s Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner highlighted, “These investments show that outdoor recreation is more than just an enjoyable pastime — it’s a thriving industry that supports businesses, creates jobs, and generates substantial economic output across Pennsylvania.”

Pittsburgh’s conservation institutions are a growing part of the Commonwealth’s outdoor recreation economy. 

At the National Aviary, Executive Director Cheryl Tracy says the institution is “just getting started,” despite nearly 75 years of history. 

“We continue to break records in terms of how many people are visiting the Aviary. We’ve reached new milestones in our education and conservation programs. You can feel the momentum,” she stated in her interview with Invest:. 

That momentum now includes a transformational partnership with the S. Kent Rockwell Foundation: a 35-acre property and 45,000-square-foot building gifted to the Aviary, along with an endowment to cover operating costs. Plans are underway to develop the site into a state-of-the-art conservation and breeding center, complete with a 6,000-square-foot teaching hospital. “This center will allow us to focus on breeding programs for Critically Endangered species — even birds that are extinct in the wild — and help reintroduce offspring back into their natural habitats,” Tracy explains.

The Aviary already leads the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ (AZA) Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program for African penguins. Two penguin chicks hatched last year in Pittsburgh, and Aviary scientists are working in Namibia to install artificial nest boxes addressing habitat loss. Without intervention, African penguins are projected to be functionally extinct in the wild by 2035.

In the eastern part of the city, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is also entering a new chapter.

“When I first started, we developed a new strategic plan, followed by a new 20-year facility master plan. When we add up all the projects in today’s dollars, it amounts to several hundred million dollars worth of investment into the zoo,” President and CEO Jeremy Goodman told Invest:.

Fueling that plan is a $10 million anonymous gift, the largest in the Zoo’s history. “It’s a game changer for us,” Goodman said. The donation is enabling construction of a new giraffe barn, which will expand the herd, provide winter viewing for visitors, and exceed international standards for animal welfare and design work for the Zoo’s Expedition Indonesia habitat, considered the largest immersive exhibit this region has ever seen. It will feature nearly a dozen endangered species, including orangutans, Malayan tapirs, and clouded leopards.

Together, the Aviary and Zoo attract well over one million visitors annually and are major players in a tourism economy that drew more than 20 million people to Pittsburgh, generating $6.4 billion in economic activity and supporting 43,000 jobs.

Both institutions are also shaping the workforce of tomorrow. At the Aviary, veterinary leader Dr. Pilar Fish trains dozens of interns annually from around the world. “She and her staff train interns each year on advanced medical protocols for birds. This makes us unique, and we want to take it to the next level,” Tracy explains.

At the Zoo, education has become central to expansion. “Education is at the core of everything we do,” Goodman said. “We’ve been hiring so many more educators recently that we’re running out of office and work space for them.” 

There are also plans for a three-story addition to the Zoo’s education center, including space for animal ambassadors, expanded educator offices, and even a licensed nature preschool. 

A cyber school studio is also envisioned, extending the Zoo’s reach into digital classrooms 

Pittsburgh’s conservation ecosystem extends far beyond the Aviary and Zoo, with leading institutions working across landscapes, habitats, and communities. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Powdermill Nature Reserve has banded more than 800,000 birds over six decades, establishing itself as a global center for avian research and migration studies. 

At Phipps, the Center for Sustainable Landscapes has set a worldwide standard as the only facility to achieve seven of the top green-building certifications, operating on net-zero energy and water. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, steward of Fallingwater, has safeguarded more than quarter-million acres of natural lands while restoring thousands of miles of rivers and streams. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden has transformed a 460-acre former coal mining site into a hub of ecological restoration, eco-tourism, and public education.

These organizations create a conservation cluster that strengthens Pittsburgh’s identity as a hub for environmental research, sustainability, and cultural tourism.

The alignment between conservation and economic growth is evident. Donors and foundations increasingly view investments in these institutions as investments in Pittsburgh itself. Events and immersive programming also generate diverse revenue streams. At the Aviary, the Garden Room has become a popular year-round event venue that simultaneously raises conservation awareness. “Many guests who attend weddings and graduation parties here tell us they haven’t visited the Aviary in years and want to return,” Tracy noted.

The Zoo’s seasonal festivals bring tens of thousands of visitors. Its Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza showcases 3,000 hand-carved pumpkins and draws families throughout October, while the Wild Illuminations winter light show adds another year-round tourism driver. “We try to keep it fresh and provide our visitors with new experiences each time they come,” Goodman said. “No two visits are ever alike.”

As Pittsburgh prepares to host the NFL Draft in 2026, local institutions are positioning themselves to capture the influx of visitors. For Tracy, the future is about scale: “We believe we’re on the cusp of something major. We’re already leading many of these efforts, but this new center will allow us to continue to make an even larger global impact on bird conservation.”

Top image provided by National Aviary