Kids need trees. They need them to protect them from harmful UV rays and the heat of the late spring and early fall. They need them for creative, fun places to play. They need them to help study the natural world, to observe the changes in the seasons and the life cycle. Go to any school yard, especially when it is hot, and you'll find kids playing or talking in the shade of the school's trees.

Healthy School Yards, Healthy Kids
There is an abundance of evidence that creating natural spaces in school yards leads to more active and more creative play, reduces aggression, and encourages even those children who are less active to participate in a more cooperative way.

ReForest London’s research has found that often schools in the lowest socio-economic neighbourhoods also have the fewest trees. Since trees often must be funded through parent-run fund raising, they simply are not planted.

Recipe for Success
As with all our school yard projects, we will plant trees using a formula that has proven successful in protecting the life of the trees
1) We plant larger, 50-60mm caliper shade trees.
2) We plant low cost shrubs around each tree, making a physical barrier and a “first line of defense”.
3) We involve the students – as many as possible – in the planting of the trees.
4) Each school must agree to care for the trees, especially by watering them over the summer, for a minimum of two years.

Our priority is for providing shade to the children as they play and shade to the school building to cool it. We also hope to strengthen the learning environment by providing trees to study and places for outdoor learning experiences. We have worked in cooperation with the Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board and the Conseil scolaire de district du Cente-Sud-Ouest.

Past Successes
Our past successes dozens of London schools is documented here.