How greener schoolyards benefit kids — and the whole community – Grist

Last updated: 2024/08/14 at 5:28 PM

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The Spotlight

When Lois Brink’s children were attending elementary school, she couldn’t help but notice how uninviting their schoolyard was. Described as “scorched earth” with little more than a dirt field covered in decades of weed retardant and aging play equipment, Brink, a landscape architect and professor at the University of Colorado Denver, saw an opportunity for change.

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Over the course of twelve years, Brink led a transformation of nearly 100 elementary school grounds in Denver, creating more vibrant and greener spaces known as “Learning Landscapes.” In the U.S., public schools alone cover approximately 2 million acres of land, with many facing similar challenges of heat islands and lack of greenery, particularly in lower-income and Black and Brown communities.

Priya Cook, director of green schoolyards and communities at Children & Nature Network, emphasized the importance of rethinking schoolyards to benefit student well-being, learning, social cohesion, and environmental justice. Recent research conducted by the organization highlighted the economic value of green schoolyards, with Denver as a case study.

The report estimated that communities can see a return of over $3 for every $1 invested in green schoolyards, with improvements in academic performance, community health, public safety, and property values. By making green schoolyards accessible to the public, the benefits are further amplified.

Brink initiated the Learning Landscapes initiative with the support of a public-private partnership, transforming every public elementary school campus in Denver into green schoolyards by 2012. The project not only improved student outcomes but also had positive impacts on community engagement, state funding, and carbon sequestration.

Despite the numerous benefits of green schoolyards, barriers such as cost and stakeholder collaboration remain. However, as Cook pointed out, the growing body of research and success stories like Learning Landscapes are paving the way for a more sustainable and equitable future for schoolyards nationwide.

With initiatives like ReGeneration Now extending the impact of Learning Landscapes by managing gardens at diverse elementary schools like Ellis Elementary, the potential for green schoolyards to benefit both students and communities continues to grow.

Written by Claire Elise Thompson