Grounds/Land Ecosystems Goals and Strategies

Description: Outdoor classrooms utilize outside space on a school campus for academic instruction. Learning within the outdoors means that students have moved their location for learning to the outdoors. This access to fresh air and natural settings can have a significant positive impact on students ability to focus and learn content. Learning from the outdoors also means that students will utilize the outdoors as a laboratory for learning about scientific and social phenomena. 

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Schools can create informal outdoor classrooms by repurposing quads, courtyards, lawns, amphitheaters, blacktops, etc. Depending on the amount of time and the instructional activity an outdoor classroom can require very little materials. Use existing materials such as outdoor picnic tables, shade trees and clipboards to bring students outdoors. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: For long term projects schools can invest in seating, instructional materials, ground cover, shade cover, and landscaping to make a high quality outdoor learning environment. Schools can plan for this as a major renovation/construction project or partner with community based organizations to develop outdoor classrooms. 

Description: Seating in the outdoors provides a variety of ways for school stakeholders to gather in ways that encourage health and safety such as: meal breaks, small group breakout sessions, or one-on-one instructional/counseling services. Outdoor seating can also be incorporated into play areas, and inspire students to spend time outside.  Materials for seating range from stone, wood, or other natural building materials.

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Build or purchase inexpensive and lightweight outdoor seating options. Wooden or recycled plastic benches/tables are available from many different vendors. Tree stump seats can often be acquired from a local tree trimming business, and materials like straw bales can be sourced locally, but will only last 6 months - 1 year before needing to be replaced. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Incorporate outdoor seating into the long-term design of the school grounds using durable and student friendly materials. Outdoor seating can be creatively integrated into landscaping and other a range of options for different sizes of groups.

Description: Pathways or trails on campus provide opportunities for play and exploration of the natural landscape by school stakeholders. Trails should be ADA compliant as much as possible. Trails are distinguished from outdoor hallways by material. Trails are built with porous materials to allow for water drainage. 

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Existing blacktops can be painted to evoke a “trail” across the school grounds. Schools can make trails using wood mulch over lawn or dirt. Help students and the community interpret the natural landscape by using signs and labels. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Install ADA compliant trails that utilize best practices with decomposed granite (DG) or mulch. When working across sloped terrain or challenging conditions it is recommended to seek out professional assistance. 

Description: Pathways or trails on campus provide opportunities for play and exploration of the natural landscape by school stakeholders. Trails should be ADA compliant as much as possible. Trails are distinguished from outdoor hallways by material. Trails are built with porous materials to allow for water drainage. 

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Existing blacktops can be painted to evoke a “trail” across the school grounds. Schools can make trails using wood mulch over lawn or dirt. Help students and the community interpret the natural landscape by using signs and labels. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Install ADA compliant trails that utilize best practices with decomposed granite (DG) or mulch. When working across sloped terrain or challenging conditions it is recommended to seek out professional assistance. 

Description: Including examples of closed loop cycles into school grounds emphasizes the importance of resource conservation and materials use. These strategies also encourage curriculum integration on natural cycles such as food chain and decomposition. Examples: 3 Bin Compost Systems, Reclaimed lumber for garden beds, Vermicomposting, Upcycled Materials

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Demonstration composting systems can be incorporated into existing school gardens, or be managed by classrooms. Building and using a “3 Bin” composter will take 3 - 6 months.

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Schools can utilize larger-scale composting systems to create a closed-loop system for their schools organic waste materials (food scraps, soiled paper, yard waste). These systems require daily maintenance and supervision. Schools can also prioritize using upcycled or refurbished materials on school grounds. 

Description: Playgrounds are essential features on school grounds for exercise and play. Traditional play areas are typically asphalt surfaces with jungle gyms or similar play structure. These can be designed for minimal environmental impact and maximal human health and wellbeing.

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Blacktops can be repainted to encourage alternative types of play, or used as outdoor learning elements. For example, a sundial can be painted on the ground. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Most jungle gyms or large play structures will need to be replaced after 10 - 20 years. Consider selecting play structures that have natural elements and environmentally preferable materials. 

Description: Diversified Schoolyards increase the happiness of their students by providing innovative areas for exploration, creative, and imagination play. These types of areas are opportunities for creative reuse, community engagement, and often instruction through the design process or experiential learning. Examples: Boulders, Musical Areas, Climbing Walls, Playhouse Structures, and many more

Short Term Projects/Considerations: For short term projects schools can create systems for checking out/in “loose” play objects such as scooters, wooden blocks, etc. Small installations of boulders or playhouse structures can transform otherwise underutilized corners of a play yard. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: If redesigning a schoolyard, traditional play with diversified play areas by incorporating larger elements into the play area. Consider some themes to incorporate into these areas such as energy systems, water systems, music, etc. 

Description: Wildlife habitat, or native plant gardens, provide essential habitat for local wildlife, increase biodiversity, prevent erosion, and provide areas for play. Native plant gardens are a great resource for academics when integrated into the curriculum for studying local science phenomenon, biology, resource conservation, and much more. Examples: Pollinator Gardens, Ponds, Native Habitat Restoration

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Schools can create small scale native plant gardens by transforming landscaped beds or raised beds. Schools can select “perennial” plants (or plants that live more than one year) for easy maintenance. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Schools can repurpose underutilized fields or hillsides by planting native habitat. These areas, once established, would provide ecological benefits and become a resource for curriculum and instruction. Areas with native habitat would require annual maintenance such as pruning, mulching, weed management, etc.

Description: Garden spaces that grow food combine many elements of sustainability and enhance a schools ability to address food systems, health, biodiversity, and water topics. Edible gardens can be integrated into life science, earth science, language arts, and math curriculum but providing a living laboratory on campus. Examples: Herbs, Vegetables, Fruits, Fruiting Trees

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Gardens that grow edible plants require more regular maintenance than other types of gardens. This is due to a number of factors such as: edible plants typically have a short life span (less than 1 year), have more pest pressures, and require regular and consistent watering. Schools can start small by selecting easier to grow edible plants like herbs. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Long-term schools can have successful edible garden programs by investing in perennial plants like fruit trees, and the infrastructure needed for consistent vegetable production (irrigation systems, greenhouse, compost, etc.) Schools can find support for maintaining gardens by partnering with community based organizations. 

Description: Raising livestock on a school campus provides an exciting teaching tool on life cycles, food systems, and much more. Domesticated animals take coordination by school stakeholders and infrastructure that provides for the safety and health of animals in their entire life cycle. Examples: Honey Bees, Chickens, Ducks, Rabbits, Goats

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Caring for domesticated animals would not be considered a “short” term project, as animals will need to be cared for an entire life cycle (for example chickens can live up to 8 years). However, an example short term project would be working with a local farm to take care of eggs and hatch chicks that will then return to the farm to live out the rest of their life cycle.  

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Schools can care for domesticated animals by building or purchasing sturdy pens or coops and planning for daily care. Schools may be able to partner with community members or organizations for support. 

Description: Increasing the square footage of green space on a campus will increase shade, provide habitat for local wildlife, and decrease an urban heat island effect. Trees can be fruiting varieties or native to the school's campus ecosystem. It is recommended that trees be frequently surveyed by professional arborists for safety. 

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Install trees in existing landscaped areas with irrigation. Utilize tree species that are already thriving at the schoolyard or in the local neighborhood. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Incorporate a micro-forest concept on school grounds that will be in an area that students can access. Tree canopy should be considered and planned for during major renovation/construction projects. Landscape companies should select trees that will provide shade, ecological benefits, and benefit students. 

Description: Xeriscaping, or installing drought tolerant plants, will conserve resources, is aesthetically pleasing, and provide learning opportunities for students. These areas decrease a school campus's water use. 

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Update existing landscaped areas to have drought tolerant plants. This is a great use of areas that do not have existing irrigation systems. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Schools can landscape significant areas of unused lawn or underutilized hillsides with drought-tolerant landscaping. 

Description: Stormwater management is a necessary component of a school campus that can be enhanced into a learning opportunity. These systems can have many design goals including replenishing groundwater, improving habitats, reducing flooding, and reducing pollution in waterways. Examples: rain gardens, rain barrels, bioswales, cisterns, living roofs.

Short Term Projects/Considerations: Small-scale projects such as rain gardens and rain barrels can be installed with a few months planning. 

Long Term Projects/Considerations: Large scale stormwater management projects require architecture designs and permitting. Schools can prioritize funding these projects during major renovation/construction projects.