School grounds tend to lack biodiversity. This study investigated whether the inclusion of natural elements improves the attractiveness of school grounds as perceived by students, and, if so, which elements are most preferred by students.
Three hundred students (age 8-17) participated in face-to-face interviews focusing on their opinion on different school ground scenarios. The scenarios were presented through photos depicting a traditional school ground (paved and asphalted ground bordered by hedges and trees) and computer-edited naturalized school grounds. The edited photos depicted both species-poor lawns (grassy areas and sports fields) and grounds rich in nature elements (including wildflower meadows, flowerbeds, and a diversity of shrubs). Nine scenarios were shown to each elementary student (age 8-10) and 14 to each secondary student (age 10-17). Elementary and secondary students evaluated the different scenarios on a scale ranging from “do not like it at all” to “like it very much”. Secondary students also characterized each scenario in terms of attractiveness (beautiful, ugly) and associated thoughts and feelings (interesting, boring, common, uncommon, tidy, untidy).
Results showed that elementary and secondary students do not like paved and asphalted school grounds. Secondary students characterized such grounds as being boring and ugly. Students prefer school grounds with biodiverse vegetation and grounds that are well-maintained. They characterize such grounds a beautiful and interesting. Students also like structures (such as benches) on school grounds that allow them to relax and socialize. There were some strong differences between elementary and secondary students' preferences. Elementary students tended to favor gardens more than secondary students and were generally more in favor of the status-quo and species-poor lawn scenarios. Secondary students tended to view vegetable plots as being rather untidy.
These results indicate “that the inclusion of biodiverse small-scale enrichments may increase the aesthetic appeal of traditional school grounds as long as they are not perceived as untidy.” Adding such enrichments could be integrated into school grounds without major redesign of the grounds. Such additions could, in addition to making the school grounds more ecologically useful, also contribute to the aesthetic quality of a neighborhood.
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