“It is not a complicated question but it is very complex” – Insights on school ground greening from practitioners

Abstract

School ground vegetation supports children’s health, learning, and ecosystems but faces challenges in implementation and management, with limited research addressing the entire greening process. This study investigates what green practitioners in Sweden experience as challenges when implementing and managing school ground vegetation. Expert interviews were conducted with 26 experienced practitioners and revealed issues across the implementation chain. Challenges were categorized into direct and indirect factors. Direct factors included practical concerns such as avoiding monocultures, preventing soil compaction, and differing opinions on species selection, planting size, fencing, and managing children’s movement. Indirect factors focused on lack of knowledge of either the benefits of vegetation or what is needed for its establishment among the actors surrounding the respondents. Using the Policy Arrangement Approach, the study analysed how actors, rules, resources, and discourses shape implementation. The analysis highlighted the significance of regulations and the need for increased knowledge of both outdoor pedagogy and vegetation requirements.