The Arb is one of the quietest and most peaceful areas on campus, but you may not realize the immense amount of time, energy, and labor that goes into maintaining this pillar of natural beauty just a stone’s throw away. Across the years, management was passed down; before the current Arb Director Nancy Braker ’81 and Manager Matt Elbert, the Arb was directed by Biology Professor Mark McKone. I spoke to him briefly about his experience.
As the Director, Mark prioritized the restoration of native prairie and forest ecosystems in previously farmed areas. It was an immense amount of work to reestablish. A lot of decision making had to go into what types of ecosystems to restore in different places. The work continues to pay off, as the number of classes, sports, and community members using Arb has increased significantly since restoration and management was prioritized. “If you create this resource, of course people will use it.”
Mark worked as the Arb Director for 17 years, during which he also had a full-time faculty position, so his available time was significantly reduced. The Arb Manager at that time, Myles Bakke, was able to get a lot done, but he was only one person. “Everything changed when Nancy came in”, Mark said. Having a full-time director and manager on staff, as well as funding to support the student Arb Crew and Naturalist program, has allowed the Arb to flourish.
Now that Mark isn’t the director, he can dedicate much more time to his research. As of now, he has 144 permanent research plots in the Arb prairies along with Professor Daniel Hernández, where they study plant-insect and plant-animal interactions, as well as other grassland ecology dynamics. Removing invasives, performing controlled burns, and countless other work projects are all crucial to ensuring that we can appreciate this natural beauty into the future. We’re incredibly lucky to have such dedicated people working to ensure a healthy, safe, and beautiful ecosystem.
- Nico Bolling ’27, for the Cole Student Naturalists
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