Context

In California, approximately 5.9 million K-12 students attend public schools on ~130,000 acres of land. Much of this land is unshaded and covered in asphalt.

Vision

The California Schoolyard Forest System® seeks to create schoolyard forests across pre-K-12 public school grounds statewide to directly shade and protect students from extreme heat and rising temperatures due to climate change.

Goals

• Plant enough trees by 2030 that, when mature, will cover at least 30% of each school property in the areas used by children and youth during the school day

• Center equity by prioritizing schools and districts in under-served communities with the highest poverty level, fewest trees, and hottest climates

• Use school grounds as a pre-K-12 learning laboratory across the curriculum and grade levels

• Build environmental and climate literacy by engaging students in the design, planting, and stewardship of their schoolyard forests, as well as in standards-based hands-on learning outdoors

Building A Backbone of Support

In 2023-24, Green Schoolyards America’s activities to establish the framework for the California Schoolyard Forest System include:

Policy analysis. We are conducting an analysis of existing policies and practices that govern tree planting at PreK-12 public schools to identify challenges and opportunities for bringing schoolyard forests to scale.

Tree canopy equity map. We created a “Schoolyard Tree Canopy Equity Map” using GIS, that includes data for every K-12 public school in California. The map establishes a baseline for existing conditions, tracks progress, and we hope it will be used to inform future policy priorities.

Resources and support. We are developing online resources and leading a community of practice to support successful schoolyard forest planning, implementation, stewardship, and instruction.

Pilot projects. We are implementing pilot projects to field-test schoolyard our schoolyard forest resources and approaches.

Taking Schoolyard Forests to Scale in CAlifornia

As a result of our focus groups, described above, Green Schoolyards America has published the following report that summarizes our findings regarding existing barriers that need to be addressed and opportunities that can be harnessed to bring schoolyard forests to scale across California.

MAPPING TREE CANOPY EQUITY

Green Schoolyards America’s research team has now quantified the extent and distribution of tree canopy on California’s K-12 public school campuses. This research will help us to understand existing conditions, establish a baseline from which to measure change over time, and identify priorities for the California Schoolyard Forest System®. The study’s findings will also provide tools for data-driven decision making to help California’s policymakers in their efforts to protect vulnerable children from extreme heat and impacts of climate change.

Launch Webinar

On October 4, 2022, Green Schoolyards America, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the California Department of Education (CDE), and Ten Strands hosted an hour-long webinar to launch the California Schoolyard Forest System℠. We invite you to watch the recording to learn more about the initiative.

More information about the webinar’s content and speakers can be found in our blog about the event.

We invite public agencies, school districts, and county offices of education to join us as we launch the California Schoolyard Forest System® in the coming year. We also welcome collaboration from nonprofits and other organizations and will invite broad participation as our program develops. Please contact us using our information form (to the right) if you would like to participate or receive information as the initiative moves forward.