Furloughed Fellows gardens director now heading Pittsburgh Botanic
PITTSBURGH
Six months after leaving Mill Creek MetroParks’ botanical gardens, Keith Kaiser is at the helm of another public garden.
Kaiser, who headed up Fellows Riverside Gardens for 27 years, took over as interim president of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden earlier this month. He left Fellows after an internal reorganization implemented by park leaders cut his position and numerous others.
Kaiser expressed excitement for his new job, describing the organization and its small staff as “young and full of energy.”
“It’s great. I enjoy it,” he said. “New people, new staff. ... [They are] very, very dedicated people.”
Located on Pinkerton Run Road in Oakdale – a Pittsburgh suburb – PBG sits on roughly 450 acres above abandoned coal mines; an effort is underway to reclaim the mines. The garden opened to the public last year, and the PBG team is working to develop the property further.
“There’s lots of potential here. It’s close,” Kaiser said, noting ongoing work to clean water polluted by the mines and projects such as adding plantings to the garden.
Kaiser was recruited for the job by the PBG board, which contacted him to see if he’d be interested in the recently vacated position.
Read more about his new post in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.