Green spaces in close proximity to schools stimulate environmental education fieldworkThis study examined the relationship between the availability of green space in an urban setting and the type and time spent on outdoor environmental education in secondary schools in Amsterdam. This investigation was motivated, in part, by the concern that densification efforts sometimes lead to the elimination versus preservation of urban green spaces.
Densification efforts support the ‘compact city’ concept which is characterized by mixed land use and close juxtaposition of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure. Construction of compact communities is considered to be a key element for sustainable cities, as the idea behind compactness is the reduction of transport energy use and urban sprawl. The relation between compact cities and green space provides a context for this study, especially as it pertains to schools.
The site of this investigation was Amsterdam, where a ‘compact city’ policy has been in place since the 1970s. While most elementary schools in Amsterdam have school gardens, secondary schools do not. The outdoor areas of the secondary schools consist primarily of fully paved squares. Any fieldwork outside the school is voluntary and decided by the school and its teachers.
In-depth interviews were conducted with teachers from all 42 secondary schools in Amsterdam to collect information about their environmental education practices, especially in relation to any fieldwork excursions they take to observe nature and environmental issues. For each school, GIS (geographical information systems) technology was used to calculate the distance to the nearest available green space. This geographic information was linked to the number of fieldwork excursions, the destinations, and teachers’ attitudes towards environmental education excursions. Additional data concerning some possibly confounding variables (such as the affluence of the schools’ surrounding neighborhoods) were also collected and considered in the data analysis.
Findings indicated that there were more excursions when the distances to green spaces were shorter, meaning that proximity was a very significant factor for environmental education trips. Additionally, close proximity appeared to be more important than the environmental quality of green spaces. Findings also indicated that neighborhood affluence did not significantly affect the number of excursions. What the researcher found surprising was the fact that schools with nearby greenspaces also recorded more fieldwork excursions to other destinations further away from the school. Responses on a follow-up questionnaire indicated that the availability of green spaces close to the school and positive experiences during excursions there seemed to create a strong motivation for excursions elsewhere. On the other hand, teachers without experience with actual fieldwork showed limited motivation for excursions outside of school.
This study indicates that green spaces in close proximity to schools can play an important role in establishing a pattern of outdoor environmental education.
The Bottom Line