Schoolyards represent one type of outdoor environment to which nearly all children have access. Because of their accessibility and safety, many New York City schoolyards represent wonderful, under-utilized resources for exploration of nature by children and their families – after all, natural life can flourish even in the concrete cracks of a playground or a wall.
As a result, a number of city schoolyards, and surrounding streets and neighborhoods, are being targeted for greening through New York Restoration Project (NYRP)-coordinated campaigns – including tree-planting efforts and the installation of raised planting beds that provide additional opportunities to get students, parents and teachers outdoors. In schoolyards, students can also take advantage of NYRP’s expanding environmental education opportunities, including Schoolyard Survey, Watershed Walk, Restoration Conversation and RespecTree programming. In addition, NYRP programming is being extended to and coordinated with ongoing school science programs and, where facilities exist, school greenhouse activities.