Introduction

Across the country, children of all ages attend school on grounds with acres of asphalt and grass, and very few trees to provide shade or protection from increasing heat and a shifting climate. Schoolyard forests, in contrast, are climate oases on school campuses, designed to nurture and protect students from extreme heat and to build resilience for an unknown future.

Schoolyard forests:

• Include trees planted in large groves where students can access them to take shelter when the weather is hot.

• Include a high diversity of climate-adapted trees and species with large canopies.

• Are designed to encourage student access to shade during outdoor learning, physical activities, social gatherings, and play.

• Are adapted for most campus sizes and age groups.

• Engage students in design, planting, stewardship, and learning.

THE NEED FOR SCHOOLYARD FORESTS

Across the United States, thousands of public schools serve millions PreK-12 students on more than 2 million of acres of public school grounds, every day. Much of that land is paved with hot asphalt surfaces and lacks tree canopy in places children spend their time, so millions of PreK-12 students are exposed to unhealthy high temperatures on a regular basis. As temperatures rise due to climate change, these stark campuses pose increasing health risks for children when they are outdoors, and also increase indoor temperatures and associated cooling costs.

Since children are more vulnerable to heat than adults this is a problem for all schools. However, the lack of tree canopy and green space creates a significant, disproportionate burden on school communities with the lowest income and in communities of color, which already face environmental, economic, and racial injustices. Adding shade trees to schools that serve the most vulnerable populations will not only reduce extreme heat, but will also address other stark inequities and environmental justice issues related to access to green space, hands-on educational resources, and health and wellbeing.

What is the National Schoolyard Forest System℠?

The National Schoolyard Forest System℠ seeks to create schoolyard forests across PreK-12 public school grounds nationwide to directly shade and protect students from extreme heat and rising temperatures due to climate change. This decades-long initiative will create schoolyard forest systems across the country. We envision one in every state, collaboratively established with local partner organizations and state agencies.

While we work on this wider rollout of the National Schoolyard Forest System℠, we invite you to sign up for our newsletter to receive updates and to use the button below to fill out our interest form if you are interested in bringing a Schoolyard Forest System℠ to your state.

CALIfornia Schoolyard Forest System℠

The California Schoolyard Forest System℠ — launched in June 2022 —became the first state in the new National Schoolyard Forest System℠. This initiative seeks to increase tree canopy on public school grounds across California to shade and protect PreK-12 students from extreme heat and rising temperatures due to climate change.

Schoolyard Forest System℠ Resource Library

Are you a school, school district, or administrator looking for resources on how to start a schoolyard forest? Our new Schoolyard Forest System℠ Resource Library is now live. Within the library, you’ll find articles, lesson ideas, and many other resources to help you begin or sustain your project.

SCHOOLYARD FOREST DESIGN LECTURE SERIES

Ongoing

The Schoolyard Forest Design Lecture Series will provide technical, design-focused guidance for creating and stewarding high-quality schoolyard forests and green schoolyards. Each online session will feature presentations by subject-area experts, including Green Schoolyards America staff, along with time for audience Q&A. All sessions are free and will be recorded. Click below to see upcoming dates and topics and to register.