LEAF Beyond the Schools: Lessons from our FEE HO Summer Outing
If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you know that summer is (finally) here.
The Foundation for Environmental Education Head Office team enjoying this year's Summer Outing.
Under the sun, surrounded by colourful flowers, buzzing bees, and fresh vegetables, the FEE Head Office team gathered for our annual summer outing. More than simply enjoying each other's company, we came together in true LEAF spirit: to learn from a local initiative that is creating positive environmental impact within its community.
Our destination was Øens Have, an urban farm located in Copenhagen's Refshaleøen district. Today, it is a thriving green space and learning hub, but its history tells a different story. The area was once heavily impacted by industrial activity, leaving the soil contaminated with metals and other waste materials.
Through years of dedication and the application of permaculture principles, Øens Have has helped transform the site. Crop rotation, organic fertilisers, permanent flower beds, and diverse plant species have contributed to soil restoration while creating habitats for bees, pollinators, and other beneficial insects. These practices not only support biodiversity but also improve the overall health and resilience of the local ecosystem.
Beyond its environmental work, Øens Have plays an active role in community engagement. The garden regularly hosts volunteer days, school visits, and community-supported agriculture initiatives, helping connect people with nature and sustainable food systems.
During our visit, we had the opportunity to learn about the garden's history, challenges, and successes. We harvested fresh ingredients directly from the farm and shared a delicious seasonal meal prepared with care and local produce.
The experience served as a powerful reminder that LEAF is not limited to schools or formal learning environments. Meaningful outdoor learning can happen anywhere, and everyone has a role to play in creating positive change.
“Sometimes, the best lessons grow right beneath our feet. “
#GenerationRestoration Schools in Action: United States
How Eco-Schools and LEAF Inspired a Restoration Journey
"If we want more species to live at Carver, we have to plant more native plants."
At Dr. G.W. Carver Upper Elementary School in Georgia, USA, a journey that began through the Eco-Schools and LEAF (Learning About Forests) programmes has evolved into a powerful example of #GenerationRestoration Schools in action.
As part of their Eco-Schools Green Flag work, students began documenting biodiversity across their 50-acre campus. Equipped with field journals and iPads, they explored forests, wetlands within their school grounds, recording more than 200 species in a single year.
Their findings inspired the creation of the Seeds of Stewardship, a student-led restoration initiative built around two core goals: connecting children with nature and increasing biodiversity on campus.
Embedded into the regular school day, the initiative ensures that every student, regardless of background, can participate in authentic environmental science and stewardship. Through habitat restoration, native seed collection, invasive species removal, wildlife monitoring, and biodiversity surveys, more than 680 students are actively contributing to ecosystem restoration on their school grounds.
By restoring native habitats and creating space for more species to thrive, the students are bringing the goals of #GenerationRestoration Schools to life. It is also a powerful example of how FEE programmes can complement one another, inspiring schools to adopt outdoor, hands-on learning approaches that not only deepen students' connection with nature but also create tangible benefits for local ecosystems.
As part of the #GenerationRestoration Schools movement, this project highlights how schools can empower young people to move beyond learning about environmental challenges and become active participants in restoring nature.
Is your school helping restore ecosystems, strengthen biodiversity, or inspire environmental action?
Join a growing global community of schools taking meaningful action for healthier ecosystems, more resilient communities, and a sustainable future.
#GenerationRestoration Schools in Action: Greece
Mediterranean Diet for Health and Sustainability
How can food choices support both people and the planet?
Students from the 2nd Evening Vocational High School of Acharnes and 1st Vocational School of Nafpaktos in Greece together with partners from Slovakia, and Türkiye, explored this question through the Erasmus+ eTwinning project Mediterranean Diet for Overall Health (MedDiet4Health).
By combining agricultural, environmental, and food education, the project encouraged young people to rediscover the Mediterranean diet as more than a culinary tradition. Rich in seasonal and local foods, it became a pathway to healthier lifestyles, reduced food waste, and stronger ecosystem awareness.
Through activities such as Sharing Cultures Through Food, students exchanged recipes, traditions, and stories connected to their local food heritage, celebrating cultural diversity while promoting sustainable food systems.
Another key focus explored the Mediterranean diet as a sustainable dietary pattern. Students investigated food waste, created artistic food exhibitions, and even developed a cookbook using leftovers and legumes, showing how creativity and sustainability can go hand in hand.
The initiative brought together the 2nd Evening Vocational High School of Acharnes and 1st Vocational School of Nafpaktos in Greece, Gymnázium Cyrila Daxnera in Slovakia, and a Turkish NGO involving members of Namık Kemal Anadolu Lisesi, demonstrating the power of international collaboration in advancing sustainability education.
🔗 Explore the project:
https://meddiet4health.wixsite.com/erasmus-plus-educa-1
🔗 Sharing Cultures Through Food:
https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/etwinning/projects/mediterranean-diet-overall-health-meddiet4health/twinspace/pages/mediterranean-diet-sharing-cultures-through-food
🔗 Mediterranean Diet and Food Waste:
https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/etwinning/projects/mediterranean-diet-overall-health-meddiet4health/twinspace/pages/mediterranean-diet-sustainable-dietary-pattern-mediterranean-diet-and-food-waste
As part of the #GenerationRestoration Schools movement, the project highlights how schools can empower young people to take meaningful action for healthier communities and a healthier planet.
🌱 Is your school helping restore ecosystems, promote sustainability, or inspire environmental action? Join the growing #GenerationRestoration Schools initiative and become part of a global movement of schools creating positive change for people and planet.
LEAF Ecosystem Restoration Education in Action
Students with their vegetable growing kits in Cyprus (2026)
Our LEAF National Operators in Cyprus, Argentina, Armenia, and Malaysia are bringing Ecosystem Restoration Education (ERE) to life in inspiring and creative ways. From planting native trees and developing agroforestry systems to growing sustainable vegetables, creating environmental sign language, integrating indigenous knowledge, and “adopting” neighbourhood spaces, these projects show that restoration can take many forms.
Part of a global effort led by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), alongside UNESCO and NAAEE, this work supports the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, Education Challenge 6.1, which aims to embed restoration into education systems worldwide by 2030.
Here is an overview of each project:
Teacher Meeting in Argentina to present the Pacha Kuti Project
Argentina – Pacha Kuti
The Pacha Kuti project empowers students and teachers to lead restoration actions such as reforestation and wetland clean-ups. By documenting their impact through youth journalism and integrating indigenous knowledge, schools become active agents of change.
Armenia– Sign4Earth
In Armenia, the project focuses on accessibility by developing environmental sign language for children with hearing disabilities. Combined with hands-on activities like tree planting and ecosystem exploration, students engage with local challenges while building awareness, inclusion, and a stronger connection to nature.
Students practice new environmental signs as part of the Sign4Earth Project
Students practice new environmental signs as part of the Sign4Earth Project
Teachers receive their Forest investigation kits in Cyprus
Cyprus – Join the Forest Bureau of Investigation
In Cyprus, teachers and students become “forest investigators”, exploring ecosystems with field kits and school activities. They also adopt and restore green neighbourhood spaces and grow their own vegetables, connecting ecosystem restoration and sustainability
Malaysia – Roots of Regeneration
In Malaysia, schools are transforming degraded spaces into agroforestry gardens that mimic natural ecosystems. Through planting, monitoring, and storytelling, students turn their schools into living laboratories for ecosystem restoration.
Each project is a perfect example on how we can combine hands-on action with local community impact, helping to nurture healthier ecosystems while building stronger and more resilient communities. Stay tuned for more updates as project activities continue to grow and evolve throughout the year!