Alan Peck, superintendent of Wilcox Park and the Westerly Library, hosted 40 plus members of the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association at his headquarters in Wilcox Park for June’s Twilight Meeting. His staff helped to facilitate the event, and Paul Camara, RINLA Board of Directors member and owner of Spring Green Landscaping, manned the grill, alongside contributions made by Mrs. Peck. Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island, an award-winning 11 year-old local brewery based in Westerly, provided beer and wine.
Mr. Peck took the members on a tour of Wilcox Park, showcasing the unmatched inventory of woody plants within its 14 acres, while highlighting key considerations made in the design of this historical arboretum, while also revealing the latest update to the park – a digitized tree map for use by visitors to reference in the identification of every single tree in Wilcox Park!
Wilcox Park in downtown Westerly, RI, is home to a wide array of tree species, including some which – due to height, average crown spread, and trunk circumference – are recognized as the largest of their species in the state. Wilcox Park is proud to host seven Helen Walker Raleigh Champion Trees, as registered with the RI Registry of Big Trees, and ranks 4th in the state for number of trees. Check them out online or in person, and tell them we sent you!
This event was made possible by the generosity of Farm Credit East, a financial cooperative servicing fishers, farmers, and foresters throughout the Northeast.
Written by Mason Billings
Photographs by Mason Billings