RCE British Columbia - 2020

Growing Potential: Environmental Learning in Botanical Gardens
CSV
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Growing Potential: Environmental Learning in Botanical Gardens
Submitting RCE: 
RCE British Columbia
Contributing organization(s) : 
Vancouver Botanical Garden Association
Simon Fraser University
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
David Zandvliet
Organizational Affiliation: 
Simon Fraser University
E-mail: 
dbz@sfu.ca
Format of project: 
Action research
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Friday, October 2, 2020
Web link: 
www.eco-learning.org
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
Environmental Learning and Experience Framework
At what level is the policy operating?: 
Local
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Americas
Country: 
Canada
Location(s): 
Vancouver, BC
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Van Dusen Botanical Gardens
Ecosystem(s):
Coastal
Botanical Garden
Target Audience:
Community, Teacher Ed.
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
VanDusen Botanical Garden

The Garden is jointly operated by the City of Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association, a charitable non-profit organization. The two organizations have worked together for more than 40 years under a shared vision of making the Garden cherished locally and renowned internationally.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Dirt to Dinner

Fostering the inception, and action research needed to improve, Urban gardens at home and the development of School Gardens at K-12 institution.
The project creates accessible, place based experiential learning opportunities in an densely urban region during the time of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The program also offers support to teachers Professional development around Learning Gardens in Schools. A key feature has been the appointment of two research fellows from Simon Fraser University who are working with Garden staff to evaluate and do action research around the garden's innovative programming.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
January, 2020 to January, 2021
Rationale: 
Humans are living in the world unsustainably, changing the global climate, overconsuming, while remaining detached from the very ecosystems we are a part of. This is especially true within large urban centres such as Vancouver where for many , meaningful access to natural spaces is made difficult or is constrained by cultural and /or economic factors. Still, botanical gardens such as those managed by the VBGA have a unique opportunity to both develop and implement formal and informal programming to remedy this situation: having locations directly imbedded within the urban fabric of a major city while also benefitting from a wealth of biological and cultural diversity in their living collections
Objectives: 
Collaborative design and development of educational resources
Design of alternative learning practices during COVID-19.
Involvement of teachers and garden staff in research activities
Activities and/or practices employed: 
Program and curriculum development
Online and web based resources
Participatory action research
Size of academic audience: 
150
Results: 
Project is ongoing but already we have completed the development of a number of important learning resources.
In addition, we did a successful first evaluation of the summer camp program "Dirt to Dinner" using the research fellows stationed at the garden.
Lessons learned: 
The VBGA Fellows program (administered through the BC RCE) has proven to be an effective model for community engaged research.
Currently, plan are afoot to replicate the model with other RCE/Institute partners involved with informal and K-12 learning opportunities around sustainability including Oceanwise/Vancouver Aquarium and Science World.
Key messages: 
With the establishment of the VBGA fellowship program (managed by SFU’s Institute for Environmental Learning), the VanDusen Gardens and the Bloedel Conservatory are unique sites for a vibrant and expanding research program which will study the potential and efficacy of using these unique spaces as locations for diverse and inclusive environmental learning (for both K-12 students and their teachers). The project is undertaking community engaged research and works collaboratively with the VBGA to formulate a program of participatory action research.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
(as above)
Funding: 
Funding has been provided jointly by the BC /RCE (Institute for Environmental Learning)
and the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association (VBGA)

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon image-05.jpg (1.48 MB) View from the Garden David B. Zandvliet
References and reference materials: 
Microsoft Office document icon VBGA.doc
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Direct
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Direct
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Direct
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Direct
Theme
Traditional Knowledge  
Direct
Agriculture 
Indirect
Arts 
Direct
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
Waste 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No