NEWS

Friends of Salter Grove launch nature trails, virtual guide

By ARDEN BASTIA
Posted 5/27/21

By ARDEN BASTIA On Saturday, May 15, Friends of Salter Grove celebrated the launch of a new digital guide that allows visitors to explore improved nature trails and learn about native wildlife. The smartphone accessible guide can be found at

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NEWS

Friends of Salter Grove launch nature trails, virtual guide

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On Saturday, May 15, Friends of Salter Grove celebrated the launch of a new digital guide that allows visitors to explore improved nature trails and learn about native wildlife.

The smartphone accessible guide can be found at saltergrove.org.

Marina Wong, educational outreach coordinator for Friends of Salter Grove, addressed the gathered crowd, which included Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi, Parks and Recreation Director Beverly Wiley, Ward 1 Warwick Councilman Bill Foley, Sen. Michael McCaffrey, Sen. Kendra Anderson and Rep. Joe McNamara.

McCaffrey was instrumental in the launch, as he helped to secure a $1,000 grant from the Vivian J. Palmieri Charitable Trust, which funded the orientation posts and signs throughout the parks.

McCaffrey encouraged Friends of Salter Grove to continue their efforts to make the park “more community oriented.”

Saturday’s launch was also a moment to thank volunteers like Carolyn Hardie, Nancy Sumrall, Billy McGovern, Nick Pasterino, Alex Stepanov and Patricia Bastia. Volunteers join Wong and other members of Friends of Salter Grove on Saturdays to clear out invasive species. Hardie has contributed nearly 400 hours of volunteer work cleaning up the park.

“The Guide to Salter Grove is intended to add educational and scientific value to Salter Grove,” Wong said on Saturday. “We have found that there are over 250 species of plants from four continents in the park. 50 percent come from North American and the rest are native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa … With the nature trails and perennial plants marked and today’s launch of the website, visitors can learn about all these species while they are in the park with a smartphone, or at home with a computer.”

One new development at Salter Grove will be an increased presence of community safety officers.

Warwick Community Police Officer James Wenneman announced several programs that will improve park safety. During peak use in the summer, police officers on electric bike patrols will visit the park to ensure that regulations are followed, Animal Control will patrol to ensure that all dogs are leashed, and Traffic Control will conduct a campaign to ensure that motorists obey the speed limit on Narragansett Parkway and stop for pedestrians.

“We hope that parents can use Salter Grove to show real life examples of concepts that they learn in the classroom – habitat, pollination, samaras, wildflowers. Some of our strongest and fondest childhood memories are often these encounters,” said Wong, who hopes educators will make use of the website.

Salter, grove, trails

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  • wongbeck

    The Vivian J. Palmieri Charitable Trust very generously granted $25,000 to FoSG, most of which was used for nature trail signage and development of the online guide.

    At the launch, Senator McCaffrey presented the fourth $1,000 RI Senate Legislative grant to FoSG, arranged at his behest, and for another project.

    Thursday, May 27, 2021 Report this