Advocacy

Issue Brief: The Living Schoolyards Act

THE ISSUE

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) encourages creative planning, design, construction, and management of the natural and built environment that promotes active lifestyles, fosters social interaction, mitigates the impacts of the climate and biodiversity crises, addresses environmental justice, improves contact with nature, and more. These principles should be applied to the planning, design, construction, and renovation of schools across the nation.

ASLA also supports the development and use of varied environmental education efforts that promote an understanding of the interdependence between natural and built environments, in which the highest priority programs should focus on the youth, environmental resource managers, and policymakers.

Background

School districts are one of the largest land managers in almost every city and town in the United States. The land management choices made by schools and districts directly impact students’ experiences and the well-being of the surrounding community. On-campus green space, including living schoolyards, can provide hands-on learning experiences for students and have community-wide benefits. Such benefits include stormwater management, rainwater collection, carbon sequestration, air quality improvement, wildlife habitat restoration, extreme heat mitigation, and ecological resiliency.

Living schoolyards are park-like outdoor environments at elementary or secondary schools, which may include climate-appropriate trees, plants, cultivated gardens, outdoor meeting and gathering areas, natural playgrounds, and other elements designed for the students and surrounding community.

Landscape architects have the technical knowledge and creative skills necessary to transform underused outdoor spaces into park-like environments and outdoor classrooms. From developing master plans, leading community engagement, creating designs, and assisting with outdoor education lesson plans, landscape architects are equipped to steward these projects through grant selection, design, construction, academic evaluation, and more.

Bill Summary

On May 10, 2023, Senator Martin Heinrich (NM) reintroduced S.1538, the Living Schoolyards Act. This measure would help transform elementary and secondary schools’ outdoor spaces into living schoolyards and outdoor learning environments. Specifically, this measure would provide planning and installation grants to schools to reshape their schoolyards into dynamic living schoolyards that may include native shade trees and other vegetation, natural stormwater management projects, natural playgrounds, and more. The measure would also provide grants for schools to create outdoor classroom spaces so that students may have increased opportunities to experience nature while learning outdoors.

The Living Schoolyards Act will help to ensure students across the country have equitable access to nature in their schoolyards and enjoy the many benefits that frequent opportunities to learn and play in nature provide.

Recent Action

On May 10, 2023, S.1538 was reintroduced and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions where it is awaiting further action.

Sponsors

Senator Martin Heinrich, and cosponsors.

 

Resources 

Senator Martin Heinrich (NM) Press Release: Heinrich Introduces Legislation to Help Schools Re-Envision, Built Outdoor Learning Spaces. May 10, 2023. 

Landscape Architecture Solutions to Extreme Heat

Landscape Architecture Solutions to Biodiversity Loss

Living Schoolyards Act Fact Sheet

S.1239 — No Child Left Inside Act

7% of the United States Is a Play Desert

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Are There Benefits to Spending Time Outdoors? April 18, 2023.

National Center for Education Statistics: Back-to-School Statistics

ASLA: Professional Practice—Health Benefits of Nature

ASLA: Online Learning—Infusing Nature into the Everyday Spaces of Childhood

ASLA: 2022 ASLA Student Community Service Honor Award—15 Weeks to Transform Colorado's Unique Ecosystem into a Learning Landscape.

ASLA: 2022 ASLA Student Community Service Award of Excellence—Seeding Resilience: Celebrating Community, Education, and the Environment at Princeville Elementary School.

Designing Outdoor Environments for Children: Landscaping Schoolyards, Gardens and Playgrounds (2006), Lolly Tai, PhD, RLA, FASLA.

ASLA: Landscape Architecture Magazine—The Schoolyard Is Sick. June 25, 2019.

Green Schoolyards America: The Living Schoolyards Act

National Wildlife Federation: Time Out: Using the Outdoors to Enhance Classroom Performance. September 2, 2009.

 

Related ASLA Policies

Air Quality

Climate Change and Resilience

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

Environmental Education

Environmental Justice

Environmental Sustainability

Human Health and Welfare

Livable Communities

Urban and Local Agriculture

Urban Growth and Development

Vegetation and the Built Environment

Water Quality and Conservation

Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat

 

Contact

Roxanne Blackwell, 
Esq., Hon. ASLA,
Director of Federal
Government Affairs
governmentaffairs@asla.org

Elizabeth Hebron,
Director of State
Government Affairs
governmentaffairs@asla.org

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