School greening: Right or privilege? Examining urban nature within and around primary schools through an equity lens

A mounting body of research shows strong positive associations between urban nature and child well-being, including benefits related to mental and physical health. However, there is also evidence that children are spending less time in natural environments than previous generations, especially those living in deprived neighborhoods. To date, most studies analyzing children's (unequal) exposure or access to urban green and blue spaces focus on residential metrics while a school-based perspective, also an essential part of children's daily experience, is still understudied. The overall goal of this research is to assess spatially the amount and main components of green infrastructure within and around a sample of primary schools (n = 324) in the city of Barcelona, Spain, and to examine the equity implications of its distributional patterns. A multi-method approach based on GIS, correlation and cluster analyses, and an online survey, is used to identify these patterns of inequity according to three main dimensions: socio-demographic disparities across neighborhoods; school type (public, charter and private); and the frequency of outdoor educational activities organized by schools. Results show that schools located in the wealthiest neighborhoods are generally greener, but inequities are not observed for school surrounding green infrastructure indicators such as access to public green spaces or between public and charter schools. Survey results also indicate that greener schools generally organize more nature-based outdoor activities than those with less exposure to urban nature. In the light of these findings, we contend that multiple indicators of green infrastructure and different dimensions of equity should be considered to improve justice in the implementation of school-based re-naturing and outdoor educational programs.

Automated summary

Research shows a positive association between urban nature and child well-being, but children are spending less time in natural environments, especially in deprived neighborhoods. Studies focusing on school-based green infrastructure reveal that schools in wealthier neighborhoods are greener, but inequalities are not observed based on school type or access to public green spaces. Greener schools tend to organize more nature-based outdoor activities, highlighting the importance of considering multiple indicators of green infrastructure and equity dimensions in school-based re-naturing programs.