Keith Kaiser leading Pittsburgh Botanic Garden


By Jordyn Grzelewski

jgrzelewski@vindy.com

PITTSBURGH

Six months since 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.

“We are absolutely thrilled, and we feel very fortunate to have hired him as our interim president,” said Nelson Craige, PBG board chairman. “We think he’s a perfect fit for our needs right now and really appreciate the leadership he’s showing already. [We] are optimistic about our long-term future together.”

Kaiser also is taking part in a gardening project closer to home – he’s a resident of Hanoverton in Columbiana County – at Firestone Park in Columbiana.

He was hired as a consultant by the Restoration and Beautification Committee of Columbiana earlier this year after the group saw that he might be available.

Kaiser surveyed the park’s plant life and researched its original plantings from the park’s founding in 1937. From there, he came up with a plan to prune and remove some of the park’s existing plants.

Then, thanks to an anonymous $50,000 donation from a community member, Kaiser continued his work there, embarking on a “summer color” project that added containers and beds filled with vibrant flowers and plants.

“After years of neglect and no color in the park, his work has been the talk of the community,” said Patricia Tingle, a member of the beautification committee.

“That park has not had a flower in it for 20 years, and the people in town just went crazy when they saw what he did,” she gushed. “They were just spectacular.”

Kaiser has agreed to continue lending his expertise to the park, with plans to add shrubs and bulbs this fall.

“Keith has joined in our efforts ... in planning for many aspects of [a] master plan. His knowledge, willingness and ability to work with others is special. We can see why supporters of Riverside Gardens are lamenting his going,” Tingle said. “We know of his new job in Pittsburgh and are happy for him ... and glad he will continue to help us as time is available.”

Kaiser did not want to comment on the MetroParks situation, but did say that it was “just very wrong.”

He’s focused on the future.

“I’ve just been able to kind of put it behind me,” he said.