Schoolyards as Catalysts for Climate, Health and Equity
Sarah Milligan-Toffler serves as the CEO & President of the Children & Nature Network, working to improve equitable access to the benefits of nature across the U.S.
Prior to her work with C&NN, Sarah served as the Associate Executive Director at Wilderness Inquiry for 23 years. Sarah is the recipient of the 2017 George B. Hartzog, Jr. Environmental Awards Program, Fran P. Mainella Award.
George Dusenbury serves as the Vice President Southern Region at Trust for Public Land. Dusenbury, leading work to improve access to the Chattahoochee River and to develop coalitions and partnerships to change how communities interact with the outdoors.
In 2022, Dusenbury was named one of the 100 most influential Georgians by Georgia Trend. Previously, he served as commissioner of the Atlanta Parks and Recreation Department.
This session with Sarah Milligan-Toffler and George Dusenbury explored the global movement to transform schoolyards into green, climate-resilient, and community-oriented spaces. Drawing from international examples and U.S. case studies, the discussion framed school grounds not just as educational infrastructure but as critical levers for climate action, biodiversity preservation and social equity.
More Than Playgrounds: Climate, Health and Learning Benefits
A key takeaway was that schoolyards, when thoughtfully designed, can serve multiple overlapping purposes: cooling urban heat islands, improving educational outcomes, and enhancing mental and physical health. Globally, countries such as Canada and Morocco are already leading the way. For instance, Evergreen’s Ready Schools program in Toronto replaces blacktops with native vegetation, gardens and stormwater management infrastructure, all guided by student input. Morocco’s ethno-botanical schools integrate ancestral plant knowledge into outdoor learning, while Cameroon’s environmental hubs connect biodiversity education to future stewardship.
In contrast, many U.S. schoolyards remain heat-trapping asphalt lots. Yet this was framed not as a failure but an opportunity. One striking example is Denver’s public school system, which has implemented the longest-running district-wide greening initiative in the U.S.
A study commissioned by the Children & Nature Network and conducted by a Federal Reserve economist found that for every dollar invested in a green schoolyard, there was a $4 return, based on metrics such as graduation rates, public health outcomes and energy savings.
Notably, post-intervention, schools in Denver recorded a 15-degree reduction in ambient air temperature—three times higher than the threshold scientists would typically consider impactful. Water capture systems, carbon sequestration and pollution reduction also translated into measurable municipal cost savings.
On the local level, organizations like the Trust for Public Land are replicating these interventions across metro Atlanta, Fulton and DeKalb County. Their work involves close collaboration with students, who help design the schoolyards, conduct surveys, and participate in environmental science lessons. Yet implementation is not without barriers. Establishing joint-use agreements between school districts and municipal governments—allowing public access to school grounds outside school hours—often takes years. For example, it took five years to finalize such an agreement in Atlanta. Another major hurdle is leadership: shifts in superintendents and differing priorities across departments (e.g., school facilities vs. parks vs. water management) slow progress significantly.
Catalysts and Cost Models: Funding Green Schoolyards
Despite those challenges, there are signs of momentum. A one-time match fund from a private donor enabled the greening of multiple Atlanta school sites, which catalyzed public investment from both the city and school district. Additionally, DeKalb County directed ARP funds toward schoolyard development after community pressure and multi-year advocacy.
Design-wise, most green schoolyards emphasize shade, tree planting and rain gardens. The use of stormwater funds—rather than traditional parks budgets—has proven effective. Costs vary widely, with high-end builds in cities like New York reaching $2 million per site, while more modest interventions in Atlanta cost as little as $125,000.
The speakers emphasized the need for systemic, district-wide transformation rather than one-off pilot projects. Because public schools are among the largest landholders in many cities, treating that land as a cohesive system creates greater cumulative climate and community impact. They also stressed that youth involvement is essential not only for educational reasons but for cultivating long-term environmental stewardship.
A Balancing Act: Outdoor Engagement in a Digital Age
Technology and indoor learning were cited as rising barriers to outdoor engagement, with students spending 90% of their time indoors globally. Schoolyards are uniquely positioned to counterbalance this trend, particularly as research links outdoor time to lower anxiety, better physical health and improved focus. Policy opportunities, such as bans on cell phone use in schools and bond allocations for green infrastructure, were discussed as possible levers for broader adoption.
The session advocated for treating schoolyards as climate infrastructure. Not only are they central to achieving educational, health and equity goals, but they also offer one of the most accessible entry points for community-wide climate action.
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