Green Schoolyards
2025 Green Schoolyard interns paint a sign for the native plant demonstration garden they designed and installed at our new native plant nursery at McAteer Campus Community Farm.
Our team and interns meet inspiring community leaders, learn from the experts that will help shape their future outdoor classrooms, and get hands-on at community habitat stewardship days to see what it takes to sustain vibrant volunteer programs over time.
Michelle shares about her experience: "During this Nature in the City internship, I learned about the hard work and dedication that goes into our gardens. Specifically how rewarding it is to make our community a better place. Moving forward, I would encourage my peers to do the same."
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Our partnerships are flourishing thanks to a grant the San Francisco Unified School District received from CalFire. We are excited to help establish stewardship programs at four public school campuses in Visitacion Valley, Bayview, and Portola.
Greening School Campuses in San Francisco
With support from CalFire, the San Francisco Unified School District is building on a long-standing commitment to green schoolyards—adding to the nearly 60 campuses that have already transformed pavement into vibrant green spaces since 2005. With a goal of expanding green schoolyards district-wide, the initiative is also backed by a local modernization bond passed in 2011.
Nature in the City is proud to help bring these spaces to life by launching habitat stewardship programs at four newly greened campuses. These “gray-to-green” transformations will not only expand habitat and beauty on school grounds—they’ll also deepen the connection between schools and their surrounding neighborhoods.
We aim to make it easy and joyful for students, teachers, and families to care for these new green spaces. We support schools in setting up lasting, volunteer-powered stewardship programs rooted in community, learning, and care for the land.
This work also ties into the City’s Shared Schoolyard Project, which aims to open schoolyards for public use—providing more safe, welcoming places for children and families to gather, play, and connect with nature. Bret Harte Elementary, one of the schools supported through this project, will be part of this growing network with help from Nature in the City and the San Francisco Unified School District.
Partner Schools
Get ready for outdoor learning among beautiful new native plants and trees with more biodiversity, and cooler campuses at Bret Harte Elementary School, Visitacion Valley Middle School, Phillip & Sala Burton High School, and Thurgood Marshall Academic High School.