Landscaping & Grounds
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Sustainable Grounds & Landscaping
This topic encompasses all the non-building portions of a school site. These could contain landscaped areas, native plants and natural areas, school gardens, outdoor classrooms, sports fields, playgrounds and paved areas.
Why does landscape matter?
A school’s grounds and landscape and make up the fabric that ties together all the elements of a campus and establishes the look and feel of the school. The visual and physical comforts of a well-planned and well-kept landscape are the first impression, and more often than not, the most lasting one. And how people feel about a place affects how they learn in it, behave in it, and care about it.
Landscaping choices impact water and chemical use and the health of the ecosystem. It can provide shading and a sense of well-being. Creation of a natural ecosystem also provides learning opportunities about the local environment, history and culture.
What is a sustainable school landscape?
A sustainable school landscape is one that supports the needs of its school community in the present without compromising its potential to continue doing the same, on into the future. It is in harmony with the local environmental conditions. It balances impacts and benefits that factor in social, educational, economic, and environmental needs. And, it is an integral part of the school facility and operation, having a direct effect on the sustainability of Resource Management, Buildings, and Indoor Air Quality.
The idea is not to judge one campus-style against another, but to encourage each institution to evaluate itself and set goals and actions for greater sustainability. An inner-city block may actually be a more sustainable property than a sprawling green campus. How each property is used, maintained, and developed determines its level of impact. How the institution manages now and plans for the future determines its sustainability.
As families become more educated in sustainable practices, they may respond to green lawns or paved playgrounds in surprising ways. One person might feel a summer-brown lawn is a disgrace. Another might think the same about a green irrigated lawn. An initiative of this sort may well benefit from recruiting and involving the many constituents and developing their understanding about the process over time.