Food forest at Zespol Szkol Gospodarki Zywnosciowej I Agrobiznesu

At Zespół Szkół Gospodarki Żywnościowej i Agrobiznesu (Poland), students and teachers transformed their school grounds into a small-scale food forest: a diverse green space where edible herbs, plants, and shrubs come together in a productive and biodiverse ecosystem. By introducing a variety of crops, the school expanded its outdoor environment into a multifunctional learning landscape. Learning in the outdoor environment offered a refreshing alternative to the traditional classroom, helping to increase motivation, concentration and overall wellbeing.

The project demonstrated how green school grounds can support learning across a wide range of subjects. The food forest became a living laboratory where theoretical concepts could be experienced in practice, encouraging curiosity and helping students develop a deeper connection with nature, food production and biodiversity.

The initiative also highlighted the importance of long-term planning and care. Maintaining outdoor learning environments requires ongoing attention to accessibility, safety and seasonal changes, while teachers benefit from support and confidence-building opportunities to make full use of outdoor pedagogy.

By combining food production, biodiversity and education, the food forest illustrates how nature-based learning can enrich school life and prepare students to think more sustainably about the environment and food systems of the future.