Kane Lab Research Plot For Teaching And Learning
Located directly adjacent to the Utility Arboretum off of N Pleasant St., the Kane Lab Research plot was established in 2009 by Dr. Brian Kane, Massachusetts Arborists Association Professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation. This plot serves as a site for researching and teaching arboricultural practices.
The plot includes five species: littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata), river birch (Betula nigra), American elm (Ulmus americana), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and thornless common honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis). The research conducted by Dr. Kane and his students at the site to date has included:
- an investigation into the effects of supportive hardware on trees
- a comparison between different intensities and styles of pruning trees
- the effects of pruning on arboreal invertebrate diversity and species composition
- the differing sway properties of the various species.
Students visit the site for NRC 235—Sensible Pruning for Beginners & Experts and NRC 275—Trees and Sustainability, as well as the adjacent utility arboretum for NRC 102—Arboricultural Field Techniques I. Students who are interested in pursuing research in these areas of study are welcome to contact Brian to learn more about the research plot and future projects.