Greening SchoolgroundsEvidence Base

Learning and Greenery

� Childrens play in green settings tends to be more complex and diverse , including more functional, constructive and symbolic play than in barren settingsSamborski S (2010). “Biodiverse or Barren School Grounds: Their Effects on Children”. Children, Youth and Environments 20 (2)

Greenery in Schools Evidence Base

� Children accessing plenty of greenery in schools are not necessarily more physically active, however greenery near walls and benches to create cosy spaces which helps outdoor socialising and makes the step to physical activity easier.

Martensson F, Jansson M, Johansson M, Raustop A, Kylin M and

Boldemann C (2014) The role of greenery for physical activity play

at school grounds. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 13 103-113

� Green outdoor settings are likely to involve children of different ages, genders and competences in common activity

Änggarrd E (2011) Children's Gendered and Non-Gendered Play

in Natural Spaces. Children Youth and Environments. 2, 5.

Things we know:

� Students with natural landscapes for play, learning and view show positive moods and reduced stress, anger, inattention and problem behaviour Chawla L. (1998) Significant life experiences revisited: A review of

research on sources of environmental sensitivity. Environmental

Education Research. 4:369–382

� The presence of trees and shrubs outside classroom windows has been positively associated with high test scores, grades and ambitions Matsuoka R (2010) Student performance and highschool

landscapes. Examining the evidence. Landscape and Urban

Planning. 97(4):273-282

Urban Heat Island

Things we know:

� Shade trees reduce daytime temps between 5-20ºC

Mullaney J, Lucke T, Trueman SJ (2015) A review of benefits and

challenges in growing street trees in paved urban

environments. Landscape and Urban Planning 134 157-166

� To reduce urban heat island by 1ºC in an extreme heat event, there needs to be a 10% increase in vegetation. Norton BA, Coutts AM, Livesley SJ, Harris RJ, Hunter AM, Williams

NS (2015) Planning for Cooler Cities; A framework to prioritise

green infrastructure to mitigate high temperatures in urban

landscapes. Landscape and Urban Planning 134 127-138

Greenery in Schools Evidence Base

� Improving the health of the existing vegetation is the most effective strategy for mitigating the urban heat island

� Irrigated parks can be 2-3ºC cooler than neighbouring streets if irrigated.

� Dry parks can actually be hotter than neighbouring streetsCoutts AM, Tapper NJ, Beringer J, Loughnan M, Demuzere M

(2012) Watering our cities: the capacity for Water Sensitive Urban

Design to support urban cooling and improve human thermal

comfort in the Australian context. Progress in Physical Geography

37(1) 2-28

Community Engagement

Things we know:

� Attitudes to trees vary from worship to fear. Many people are erroneously scared of trees. Falling limbs and damage by roots.

� Birds, aesthetics and privacy are three common reasons people plant trees

� An improved local connection to nature helps improve links to the biosphere.Kirkpatrick JB, Davison A, Daniels GD (2012) Resident attitudes

towards trees influence the planting and removal of different types

of trees in eastern Australian cities. Landscape and Urban Planning

107 147-158

Greenery in Schools Evidence Base

� There is lack of resident awareness of trees as a community resource.Kenney, WA, van Wassenaer PJE, Satel AL (2011) Criteria and

Indicators for Strategic Urban Forest Planning and

Management. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 37(3): 108-117

� Participatory approaches are critical for the success of trees and vegetation. Dobbs C, Kendal D, Nitschke CR (2014) Multiple ecosystem

services and disservices of the urban forest establishing their

connections with landscape structure and

sociodemographics. Ecological Indicators 43 44-55

Social and health benefits

� Greenspace and greenery promotes contact encourages physical activity, reduces stress and stimulates social cohesion.Van Dillen SME, De Vries S, Groenewegen PP and

Spreeuwenberg P (2012) Greenspace in urban neighbourhoods

and residents health: Adding quality to quantity. Journal of

epidemiology and Community Health 66 e8

� For youth, exposure to nature can influence their lifelong attitudes to environmental protection.Chawla L. (1998) Significant life experiences revisited: A review of research on sources of environmental sensitivity. Environmental Education Research. 4:369–382

Greenery in Schools Evidence Base

� Street trees are shown to slow drivers down. Mullaney J, Lucke T, Trueman SJ (2015) A review of benefits and

challenges in growing street trees in paved urban environments.

Landscape and Urban Planning 134 157-166

� For out of school hours benefits:1 study: Building areas with high vegetation have approx. 50% lower crime levels. Another study: 10% increase in vegetation and 12% reduction in crime rate.Troy, A., Grove, J. M., & O’Neil-Dunne, J. (2012). The relationship between tree canopy and crime rates across an urban–ural gradient in the greater Baltimore region. Landscape and Urban Planning, 106, 262–270.

Multiple benefits of environmental assets� Environmental assets are important in the school environment not

only for education and saving on energy and water use, but also for:� diversifying play opportunities (Mårtensson et al., 2013)

� improving children’s concentration, behavior and wellbeing (Chawla, 1998; Faber Taylor & Kuo, 2011; Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989)

� encouraging water and climate sensitive systems (Burns, Fletcher, Walsh, Ladson, & Hatt, 2012; Coutts, Tapper, Beringer, Loughnan, & Demuzere, 2013; Norton et al., 2015)

Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The Experiance of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mårtensson, F., Jansson, M., Johansson, M., Raustorp, A., Kylin, M., & Boldemann, C. (2013). The role of greenery for physical activity play at school grounds. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 13(1), 103–113.

Norton, B. A., Coutts, A. M., Livesley, S. J., Harris, R. J., Hunter, A. M., & Williams, N. S. G. (2015). Planning for cooler cities: A framework to prioritise green infrastructure to mitigate high temperatures in urban landscapes. Landscape and Urban Planning, 134, 127–138

Burns, M. J., Fletcher, T. D., Walsh, C. J., Ladson, A. R., & Hatt, B. E. (2012). Hydrologic shortcomings of conventional urban stormwater management and opportunities for reform. Landscape and Urban Planning, 105(3), 230–240

Chawla, L. (1998). Significant Life Experiences Revisited: a review of research on sources of environmental sensitivity. Environmental Education Research, 4(4), 369.

Coutts, A. M., Tapper, N. J., Beringer, J., Loughnan, M., & Demuzere, M. (2013). Watering our cities: The capacity for Water Sensitive Urban Design to support urban cooling and improve human thermal comfort in the Australian context. Progress in Physical Geography, 37(1), 2–28.

Demuzere, M., Orru, K., Heidrich, O., Olazabal, E., Geneletti, D., Orru, H., Bhave, A. G., et al. (2014). Mitigating and adapting to climate change: Multi-functional and multi-scale assessment of green urban infrastructure. Journal of Environmental Management, 146, 107–115