Warwick

Romancing the Stone

/ Jason Major / Leave a comment

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.

Jonathan explains how conglomerates, sometimes referred to as puddingstone, are metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. These are part of the Rhode Island Formation and are Pennsylvanian in age (298-323 million years old). These conglomerates formed in a turbulent environment similar to a river bottom where the rounded cobbles and sandy matrix eventually were compressed through burial. During the Pennsylvanian Period, Rocky Mountain-sized ranges occurred east and west of the present Narragansett Bay, and their erosion produced enormous quantities of sediment that filled the space between, including wide river basins similar to the San Joaquin or Sonoma Valleys.

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Meet the New Parks and Recreation Director

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Beverly Wiley (pictured above) met with Ward 1 Councilperson Bill Foley and FoSG coordinator Peter Becker to discuss outstanding issues affecting Salter Grove.

The exchange included installation of amenities, parking safety, and city-wide park regulations (especially concerning vandalism) and their enforcement by police.

Bev wants to ‘get things done’, and that was music to our ears.

Bill and Mayor Picozzi have already helped with a City Council resolution and letter of support, respectively, for the parking safety project. 

If You Want It Done Right…

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Passerby Jason was Tom Sawyered into painting several lines

With the new playground and repaired causeway significantly increasing the number of visitors to Salter Grove, parking has become problematic. Cars were parked taking up two spaces, and traffic on the lawn was causing serious rutting and erosion.

With the blessing of the City of Warwick’s Highway Division, FoSG members and other volunteers painted 18 standard parking slots to restore order.

Not bad for amateurs!

Gotong Royong Gets It Done

/ Jason Major / 2 Comments

Gotong royong is an Indonesian phrase that invokes the spirit of volunteerism, and refers to working together for the benefit of the community. That’s what happened during the past week as FoSG members and other civic-minded volunteers who can’t stand keeping still spread 35 yards of hardwood chips over the plantings around the playground.

Some of those plantings had to be replaced, following this summer’s drought. The thick mulch should help to conserve soil moisture and reduce weed emergence.

A light barrier reminds guardians to encourage their children to stay clear of the plantings, which are vulnerable to damage while their roots establish. With some help, they’ll look great in three years! 

FoSG members and other volunteers spread mulch on the playground plantings.