Ignell, Sanna
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
School ground vegetation offers many benefits for children’s health and learning yet faces multiple challenges in implementation. This interdisciplinary thesis investigates these challenges and possible solutions, with a particular emphasis on shrubs, through four complementary studies: a mapping review, an interview study, a greenhouse experiment, and a school ground experiment. Five research questions guided the studies, addressing: (1) current knowledge, (2) the impact of children’s play on vegetation, (3) governance factors, (4) species selection, and (5) planting design and methods. The scientific literature generally overlooks vegetation specifics on school grounds and fails to capture its complexity and dynamic nature. Similarly in practice, knowledge of planting specifics on school grounds in Sweden is often considered low. Governance challenges in the Swedish context, particularly low prioritization and risk-averse discourses, further complicate implementation efforts. Interaction between children and vegetation is both fundamental and complex, as it compromises plant vitality through wear and tear, while simultaneously being the core benefit for children. Species strategies to handle disturbance from wear and tear as well as drought seem particularly important but depending on the design and species mixtures, other aspects should also be considered. Dense plantings with balanced species mixes and using tougher and spiny plants as nursing plants may increase the resilience against wear and tear. Further, existing vegetation accessible for play may divert wear and tear away from newly planted vegetation. Varying plot sizes, given adequate management, seem to be able to support mixed shrub plantings and thus support overall school ground greening. However, larger plot size appears to increase children's possibility to create play spaces within vegetation. The studies put together clearly highlight that no factor single handed is determinant for success, and there is a need for careful alignment of planting design, species selection, governance and management for making school grounds greener.
Keywords
School ground vegetation; Schoolyard; School ground greening; Children’s environments; Vegetation establishment; Shrubs; Skolgårdsförgröning; Skolgårdsvegetation; Barns utemiljöer; Vegetationsetablering; Buskar
Published in
Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae
2025, number: 2025:38
Publisher: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
SLU Authors
UKÄ Subject classification
Landscape Architecture
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.54612/a.7ubp0j72e8
- ISBN: 978-91-8046-473-4
- eISBN: 978-91-8046-523-6
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/132978