This summer, two LARP students have had their eyes on urban tree canopy in Chicopee, MA.
Working as research assistants under the direction of Professor Robert Ryan, Jack Malone (BSLA) and Nina Fritsch (MLA) use historical neighborhood development and residential landform to select neighborhoods to survey tree canopies. Out on the field, they catalogue the number of trees, the species of trees, and the size of the trees on chosen parcels.
This study, done concurrently with research led by Professor Theo Eisenman in Sweden, aims to better understand the composition of the urban tree canopy in Massachusetts Gateway cities. The team hopes that their findings can inform future tree planting initiatives to reflect residents’ preferences and further diversify the urban forest.
Photos by Nina Fritsch and Jack Malone.