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Getting Started on

School Ground Greening

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Agenda Introduction to Evergreen Learning

Grounds

Why start a greening project? Benefits of green school grounds

The 5-step process

Discussion

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What is Evergreen?

Evergreen was founded in 1991 and is a

national non-profit environmental

organization with a mandate to bring

nature to our cities through naturalization

projects.

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The Learning Grounds Program

Helps schools green their grounds by

providing: Hands-on expert advice

Funding

How-to resources, in print and online

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Goals for School GroundGreening

To improve childrens health and well-

being To nurture child development

To increase ecological diversity

To increase educational use To improve energy- and cost-efficient

design

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Why are Green School

Grounds Important?

25 percent of the school day is spent

outside They offer exciting ways to deliver the

curriculum and teach ecological literacy

They can protect children from harmfulexposure to sun

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What the

researchtells us

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A Place for

Doing

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A Place for

Thinking

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A Place forFeeling

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A Place forBeing

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Evergreen

Research

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Research Highlights 90% of respondents observed an increase

in student enthusiasm for learning

72% of respondents observed that studentability to retain knowledge had increased

77% of respondents reported student

ability to think more creatively hadincreased

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Impacts of Green School

Grounds

Educational Developmental Social

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Provide a variety of opportunities for cross

curricular work

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Improve student behaviour

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Increase the quality and diversity of play

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Provide safer spaces for children

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Green School Grounds

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Barriers and Challenges

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Maintenance

Lack of community support

Volunteer burnout

Staff / parent / teacher mobility

Budget limitations Vandalism

Barriers and Challenges

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AnA-Mazing

Idea!

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The School Ground Greening

5-step Process

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School Ground Greening

Step 1: Get Started

Form a committee ofvolunteers

Plan a meeting with

committee members Prepare for volunteers

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Percentage of Students at Ranchdale Public

School Choosing a School Ground Feature

4% 27%

39%

44%

44%

47%

64%

72%

77%

83%

Play structure

Compost

Vegetable garden

Place to sit

Bird house/feeder

Path

Flower garden

Wetland

Field

Trees

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Identifying Common Themes

Student council meetings

Identify changes they would like to see

Conduct in-class activities to capture

student feedback

Provide questionnaires

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School Ground Greening

Step 2: Plan Your Project

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Key Questions toAsk Yourself

1. Have you checked with the caretaker and

Grounds Department, the main office and the

police about required sight lines for safety, fire

drills and security?

2. Where are your sources of water?

3. Are there any community concerns?

4. Where does snow get piled up in the winter?

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The Big Picture: Creating yourConceptualDesign

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Creating yourConceptual Plan

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School Ground Greening

Step 3: Implement Your Plan

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Celebrate!

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School Ground Greening

Step 4: Maintain Your Site

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Allocate tasks

Weeding

Watering

Mulching

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Mulch is MagicSpread it!

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Seasonal Strategies

Spring Summer Autumn

Good time to weed

and rake

Store tools onsite in a

secure area

Thank summer

helpers

Have a spring

celebration and recruitmore volunteers

Make sure maintenance

teams have access to anoutdoor tap, which may

require a special key.

Let leaves and

cuttings stay

Watch for the first

robins to appear

Provide written details on

watering

Use debris for art

projects, lessons

Have weekend

workshops to learn

about topics such as

native plants

Post a maintenance

schedule and mail it out

Good time to

weed and prune

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School Ground Greening

Step 5: Evaluate and Monitor

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Before

After

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Thank you!

Hurry up and go

slowly!

Take handouts

Fill out workshop

evaluation

Questions?

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Photo Credits

DoloresAltin (53, 54)

AdrinaAmbrosii (7b, 7e, 7f ,7g, 10 ,11, 32, 48,

66)

Sylvie Bazinet (50, 29)

Joshua Berson (24, 29, 33, 56, 57)

Heidi Campbell (6, 7d, 8)

Robert Christie (18, 22, 25)

Cam Collyer (15 ,19 ,59)

Jessika Corkum (64, 64)

Bruce Day (30, 34 ,35 ,36 ,37 ,61 ,65)

Evergreen (7c, 28)

Kathy Goble (1, 12, 21)

Stella Grigorakis (46)

John Hillis (20, 29, 29)

Ruth Hoefner, Verna Schneider (13)

Brian Hydesmith (26)

Seana Irvine (60)

Krista Long (16)

Denny Manchee (41)

Debby Morton (27)

Roche McAuleyAdvertisers (4, 7a, 7h, 7i)

Karen Whitehorn (38, 39, 40, 42)

World Wildlife Fund for Nature (17)

ZiG (2)

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www.evergreen.ca