By Neil Givens, Kalju Maegi, and Hannah Zhukovsky
Image courtesy of “Cowling Arboretum”
The Cowling Arboretum exists fundamentally as a social space for the surrounding community. While during the creation of the current iteration of the Arb the named purposes of the space were preservation, education, and recreation, the dominant form of interaction with the Arb by the majority of people lies firmly in the recreation category. To both students and local residents, the area exists as a social place, where friends and family can go to hike, ski, enjoy nature, and in some cases, be hidden from the eyes of law enforcement. This page details the social usage of the Arb through two differing lenses. The Arb is explored through the perspective of local communities through interviews with community members and the Director of the Arb. Student social usage is examined through the documentary record and an analysis of certain artifacts found in the Arb. Artifacts from the secluded quarry site are used as a case study to investigate changes in student social usage through several time periods.
Click here to read about Community Social Use of the Arb
Click here to read about Student Social Use of the Arb
