Not Just for Sledding!
Warwick
Nature Trails and Guide Launch
On Saturday, May 15th, this orientation plaque will be installed south of the parking lot during a ceremony to launch the nature trails and their online guide.
From 10:00 to 10:30 a.m., Mayor Frank Picozzi, Parks and Recreation Director Beverly Wiley, and FoSG’s Education Coordinator Marina Wong will address attendees.
This ongoing project is a collaboration of Friends of Salter Grove, the City of Warwick, and the RI Department of Environmental Management to create an outdoor classroom at Salter Grove for people of all ages to enjoy its natural history. It was funded by a generous grant from the Vivian J. Palmieri Charitable Trust.
Continue readingNew Amenities Installed
Thanks to a generous grant from the Dziedzic Charitable Fund, two additional picnic tables and a bike rack were added to Salter Grove.
No doubt visitors will be thinking kindly of Brenda and John for making the park, and its wonderful views of the Bay, even more comfortable and enjoyable.
We also thank the Warwick Departments of Public Works and Parks and Recreation for installing this equipment.
First to Perch on New Bench
Thanks to a donation in fond memory of Homer and Barbara Patrick there is a second bench on Audubon Hill from which to enjoy the view of the islets south of Rock Island.
Our generous donors made it possible to acquire custom benches crafted by Don Nguyen to maintain a unifying theme throughout the park.
With the shorebird breeding season coming up, this is indeed a timely addition—bring your binocs!
Potential Pre-Colonial Tree Relicts
We learned about Matthew “Twig” Largess and Nathan Cornell in the Warwick Beacon where they were featured as seekers of old-growth forests. The woodland at Salter Grove is relatively young, but there are some unexpectedly large trees in the park so we invited this arboreal dynamic duo to assess them on Saturday, March 27.
They were joined by FoSG coordinator Peter Becker and nature trail volunteers, Carolyn Hardie, Nick Pasterino, Billy McGovern, Nancy Sumrall, and Marina Wong. Twig and Nathan examined and measure the suspected old-growth trees and provided a great deal of information in two short hours.
We may have a champion black oak north of the parking lot. Our visitors were quite impressed by the very large black gums surrounded by numerous smaller individuals along the pond trail.
Continue readingRomancing the Stone
As a preliminary to a geology section in our developing online nature trail guide, Jonathan Alvarez, a geologist from EA Engineering in Warwick, kindly shared his knowledge of features found at Salter Grove.
It is truly a shame that so many of the exposed rocks have been defaced by juvenile graffiti that obscures a fascinating geological history. Even birds know better than to foul their own nest! Please help us to realize our park’s potential as an outdoor classroom by leaving no trace of your visits.
Friends of Salter Grove 