State Education

There is a growing awareness of the educational value of offering children in both rural and urban environments the opportunity to learn from nature and to grow their own food.

Initiatives including assistance for schools with funding and planning are helping to transform former 'grey and barren playgrounds' into more productive green spaces. Schoolchildren are increasingly being encouraged to grow plants, fruit and vegetables, thus making the garden an extension of the classroom. The climate for an intergrated permaculture approach to transforming school grounds is promising. Schools have responded enthusiastically to garden design that intergrates all areas of the curriculum (using as example maths and design technology, incorporating renewable and recyclable materials, food technology,problem solving and working with others) thus creating the outdoor permaculture classroom. Constructing a low carbon site can be relatively straight forward and teachers can be supported in accessing materials, and designs to create a permaculture space.