Sustainable Schoolyard Habitats
Sustainable schoolyard habitats incorporate design principles centered on sustainability. Implementation of these sustainable designs
creates a habitat which can be used throughout the school curriculum.
Habitat stewardship committees consisting of educators, parents and
other interested individuals help to ensure the habitat is maintained.Ways of Thinking About "Sustainability"
"...a more sustainable bioshpere--one which is ecologically sound, economically feasible, and socially just."
Jane Lubchenco, President, American Association for the Advancement of Science
"...development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
U.N. World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987
The word "sustainability" comes from "sustain," which means to keep in
existence or maintain...in this context, to maintain our quality of
life, our cililization, by preventing resources from becoming depleted.
Sustainable development refers to ways to maintain or improve the
quality of our lives withour reducing resources available to those in
other parts of the world, or to future generations.
Characteristics
- Create wildlife habitat
- Conserve water
- Are energy efficient
- Are lower maintenance
- Are beautiful to behold
- Provide opportunities for learning about nature
Image is a sustainable landscape incorporating native plants at River Ridge Elementary School. Design by Rick Huffman of Earth Design