Benefits of Garden for Educational Institutions

The belief that plants and gardens are beneficial for students in educational institution is more than one thousand years old, and appears prominently in Asian and Western cultures. A growing awareness has developed in recent years in the community of the need to create functionally efficient and hygienic environments that also have pleasant, stress reducing characteristics. The fact that there is limited but growing scientific evidence that viewing gardens can measurably reduce student and staff stress and improve health outcomes has been a key factor in the major resurgence in interest internationally in providing gardens in educational institutions and other similar facilities. Health professionals increasingly recognize the value of garden for nutritional health, personal wellness, urban greening, and an engaged and active citizenry. Having gardens in educational institutions transform a barren schoolyard into an attractive space that reconnects students to the natural world. Gardens not only make school grounds more appealing, they can also produce tangible benefits in the form of better health, enhanced academic performance, and reduced disciplinary problems. The National Environmental Education Foundation (2010) summarizes a number of research studies on the health benefits of time spent in green spaces: Childrens stress levels are lower when they spend time in natural environments (Wells & Evans, 2003). Exposure to natural environments can reduce the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Taylor, Kuo, & Sullivan, 2001; Kuo & Taylor, 2004). Access to natural environments is associated with reduced risk of suffering from depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health issues, as well as various diseases and digestive problems (Maas et al., 2009). Those who live in the greenest environments are less likely to die from all causes, and green spaces may reduce socioeconomic inequities in overall health (Mitchell & Popham, 2008). Children living in greener areas are less likely to become obese (Bell, Wilson, & Liu, 2008). Green school grounds promote increased and more vigorous physical activity (Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness & Council on School Health, 2006).

Uses of Garden for Educational Institutions A review of the responses from various programmes in developed and developing countries show many similarities in basic motivations for using the garden as an instructional tool. In virtually all settings the garden is viewed as a tool of multiple uses.

Academic skills To support core academic training, particularly in science and maths real world hands-on experiences Enrichment of core curriculum in language arts through introduction of new learning landscapes To support standards-based education in countries with national or regional education standards Personal development (mental and physical) To add a sense of excitement, adventure, emotional impact and aesthetic appreciation to learning To improve nutrition, diet and health To teach the art and science of cooking with fresh products from the garden or local farms To re-establish the celebratory nature of a shared meal Social and moral development To teach sustainable development To teach ecological literacy and/or environmental education To teach the joy and dignity of work To teach respect for public and private property Vocational and/or subsistence skills To teach basic skills and vocational competencies To produce food and other commodities For subsistence consumption and trade Life skills To teach about food and fibre production To engage children in community service and environmental care To involve students in lessons of leadership and decision-making

Community development Gardens often serve as a focal point for community dialogue, capacity building, and partnerships Gardens often organize individuals for action for water delivery, co-operatives and transportation Food security Gardens can address hunger at the individual, family and community levels through planning, growing and sharing Gardens can be the starting-point for teaching and developing food policy Sustainable development Gardens are an appropriate arena to introduce children to the interconnections that link nature to economic systems and society Vocational education Gardens represent a historic and contemporary model for developing vocational skills in agriculture, natural resource management and science School grounds greening Gardens provide practical productive strategies to transform sterile school grounds into attractive and productive learning centers Hands-on activities in outdoor classrooms make learning more interesting while demonstrating other benefits such as decreased absenteeism and discipline problems ... enriching students outdoor learning environment reduces antisocial behavior such as violence, bullying, vandalism, and littering.

Contact with the natural environment affords a wide range of benefits, from educational to health and from cultural to social. However, research has found that children are losing their connection with the natural environment and that children in urban environments are particularly disadvantaged. 10% of children play in the natural environment compared to 40% of adults when they were young. This extinction of experience has a detrimental long-term impact on environmental attitudes and behaviours.