As stewards of schoolyards across our city, we’re always looking for sustainable solutions that are local, accessible, and impactful. That’s why we’re thrilled to spotlight the NYC Department of Sanitation’s generous program offering free high-quality compost and mulch to residents, nonprofits, and schools, perfect for greening projects, planting beds, playgrounds, and more. What’s Available? How…
Category: Stewardship
Summer Watering
Last Spring posed an extra challenge for our gardens and trees, a record breaking drought. As this summer approaches, we encourage you to use our annual mini-grant to make a summer plan. This can include a shared google doc, an old fashioned clip board for stewards to sign up to water, a chat with your…
Welcome Katie!
Welcome TPL’s newest member Katie Lienert, our Part-Time Community Outreach Coordinator in New York: Hi there, reader! I’m thrilled to share that I’ve recently started a new chapter as the Community Outreach Coordinator at Trust for Public Land! In this role, I’ll be connecting with schools and local communities across New York to support the…
Teaching With Green Roofs
Looking for engaging ways to teach students about climate, water, and green infrastructure? Green Roofs NYC offers a free set of hands-on, standards-aligned lessons for all grade levels. These lessons are a great way to use your schoolyard as a living lab, especially if your site features one of our green roof gazebos. In the…
15th Annual Stewardship Workshop and Mini-Grant
We had a sunny stewardship workshop last week in PS 38’s lush garden and schoolyard. We heard from the school’s parent coordinator on how to involve the whole community in stewardship, we moved our bodies with The Movement Creative to remind ourselves how to play, and brainstormed ideas for our schoolyard mini-grant. I also demo’d…
Lenapehoking Climate Curriculum
We are excited to share thirteen new lessons and activities meant to be taught in your schoolyard. These lessons are focused on uplifting Indigenous wisdom to help kids gain meaningful connection to the big climate topics of our time. They’re hands-on, each lesson pairing with a stewardship activity focused on giving back to your garden,…
NY Drought! Water those Green-roofs!
New York is experiencing a serious drought and we need your help to keep the plants on your green-roof gazebos alive. Since we haven’t seen rain in nearly a month, even the resilient sedum plants need watering. To keep your green-roof from dying, please spend at least 15 minutes watering the plants atop your gazebos…
Lenapehoking Outdoor Learning Curriculum Workshop
On September 30th from 2:30-4pm, we’ll be offering a free virtual workshop on 13 lessons developed to uplift Lenape wisdom as we explore climate and environmental topics in your schoolyard. These lesson and activities arrive on the heels of an exciting project led by The Lenape Center and Columbia’s Teacher College to “Decolonize Thinking and…
School Garden – Planning the Nitty Gritty
So much about properly caring for a new school garden concerns the nitty, gritty nuts and bolts of who’s doing what and when and where are all the things kept?! Here are some questions and logistics to consider when you’re coordinating use of your school’s new garden. You might keep this info on a worksheet in…
Getting your Playground Committee Started
Who should be a part of your playground committee? Having a diverse set of networks and skill sets on your committee will set up your playground for success. A few of the skills you may want to consider are fundraising, event planning, gardening and maintenance, and scheduling. A Guide to Getting Your Playground Committee Started: …