Tentative plans for expansion of the lower rain garden

The lawn just to the right of the main entrance to Thoreau School is in bad shape.  It's about 20% bare soil, with many weeds plus several immense ant hills. It's unsightly, plus a health hazard as a source of dust. It's been this way for at least 10 years.

The lawn is unlikely to improve due to multiple stresses:

• High foot traffic
• Poor soil
• Dry summer conditions, no watering
• Nearly 100 % shade all day

Proposed remedy

By expanding the lower rain garden gradually, we can use plants that actually thrive in shade to replace the grass.

We will use native plants plants already proven to grow well in the two gardens on either side:

• Sprengel's sedge, Carex sprengelli.  This is an attractive, grass-like plant that grows in distinct clumps about 18" high.  It has attractive seed heads and the end of longish stems.  It provides food for native animals, especially birds migrating in the fall.  Plants will be sourced from the lawn (where it has self-seeded) and the other two rain gardens.

 

Thoreau's Gardens Help Improve Student Performance

Studies suggest a positive correlation between green spaces and improved student academic performance, particularly in public schools and urban areas, according to a systematic review by the Children & Nature Network. Research indicates that students attending schools with more greenness tend to have higher test scores in math and reading. Some studies also suggest a link between green space and reduced cognitive impairment, which could be attributed to the reduction of noise and air pollution associated with green areas. However, the exact mechanisms and the magnitude of these effects are still being investigated. 

Several studies have explored the relationship between green spaces and student academic performance. For example, a study by the Children & Nature Network examined multiple studies and found a positive correlation between greenness around schools and academic performance, particularly in public schools. A study in Santiago, Chile linked standardized test records of over 281,000 students in 1,498 schools with satellite data on surrounding vegetation, confirming that students at greener schools performed better in math and reading.

The above summary by AI (6/3/25).

Here are some specific studies:

Link to a National Academy of Sciences study: "Our study showed a beneficial association between exposure to green space and cognitive development among schoolchildren that was partly mediated by reduction in exposure to air pollution."

Link to a systematic literature review: This review found a weak but positive link between greenspace and academic achievement.  There's a need for further research on this topic.

A blog devoted to this topic.