What are ecological schoolyards?

Ecological schoolyards are outdoor learning environments that teach ecological principles through the design of the schoolyard landscape. They can substantially improve the appearance of schoolgrounds while creating hands-on resources that allow teachers to lead exciting "fieldtrips" without ever leaving school property.

EcoSchool Design™ seeks to assist schools, and those who care about them, in transforming paved schoolyards into vibrant ecosystems for outdoor learning.

© Sharon Danks 2002. All images and text on this website are the property of Sharon Danks. All rights reserved. Permission to use material on this website for educational purposes is granted to students and educators only. Please contact Sharon Danks before reproducing any of this material for commercial purposes or publication. Thank you. sharon@ecoschools.com

Check out the newly published Green Schoolyard Resource Directory for the San Francisco Bay Area, written by Sharon Danks and Tamar Cooper, on behalf of the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance and San Francisco Unified School District.

This guidebook is for schools, parents, teachers, students, designers, and community members in San Francisco and around the Bay Area. It is filled with ideas, resources, and contacts to help you expand your green schoolyard, and make your plans a reality!

Click here to download a free copy of this directory (1 Mb)

Or contact info@sfgreenschools.org to order a printed copy. (US$10 + shipping)

Click here to read about the 2004 Green School Grounds Conference, organized by the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance.