School gardens in Zaragoza adapt to COVID realities

Ironically, this is actually a good time to promote these sustainable initiatives

Did you know that the city of Zaragoza has school gardens tended by students as part of their environmental education? You are forgiven if you did not know, perhaps there are still many people in the city and beyond who are not aware of this good practice.

It is thus not surprising that the municipal authorities have decided to put these initiatives back into the spotlight with the hope of bringing more educational institutions to join the cause. For the purpose, they have launched a challenge called “The school gardens of Zaragoza: we adapt to COVID-19” to show that this is a perfectly suited outdoor activity that can be adapted to the new epidemic realities.

The first school garden in the Aragonese capital was established in 1983

Today, there are some 106 gardens spread around the schools of the Spanish city. They are united under the Agroecological School Gardens Network, which is coordinated and supported by the Environmental Department of the local City Council.

These garden spaces are more than just flower and plant beds, they are multidisciplinary platforms where children get the chance to learn a variety of skills and behaviours, as well as get in touch with nature in an urban setting. They also present an opportunity to teach them about sustainable usage of resources, such as water – something that will be of increasing importance in the future.

The authorities have invited the members of the network to share their experiences with the gardens and orchards and how the educational activities can be adapted to the sanitary realities. These stories will be published on the blog of the Environmental Department of Zaragoza where others can read about them and get inspired.

The best stories will also qualify for winning a set of garden tools for the respective schools. The deadline for submission is 26 March.