Small local actions towards ecological restoration through LEAF and RESTORE
#GenerationRestoration Schools in Action: Mexico
Students from Colegio Regional Bilingüe, in Chihuahua, Mexico
Colegio Regional Bilingüe, in Chihuahua, Mexico, is a great example of how learners' curiosity, motivation, and small actions can support ecological restoration in their local environment.
The school’s journey began by watching a RESTORE documentary focused on the Central American Dry Corridor, a region highly vulnerable to drought, unpredictable rainfall and other impacts of climate change. The film explores how farmers and communities are restoring degraded landscapes and strengthening their resilience through approaches that work with nature, including agroforestry and more sustainable land management.
Inspired by the documentary and using LEAF’s (Learning About Ecosystems and Forests) methodology, which focuses on outdoor learning and ecosystem restoration, students went outside to observe and identify the key elements that make up their local environment. They explored ecosystem interdependence, learning about the important role each component plays in supporting a healthy ecosystem.
Learners also took action, creating seed bombs with native grass species and natural materials to support grassland restoration. Grasslands are an essential part of the landscapes and ecological balance in Chihuahua. For this activity, learners selected the blue grama grass, which adapts well to drought and extreme temperatures and helps stabilise soil while providing nutrition and habitat for wildlife.
With LEAF’s guidance and inspiration from the RESTORE documentary, learners deepened their understanding and care for the environment and showed that even small, locally relevant actions can contribute to ecological restoration.
“Through grassland restoration, ecosystem resilience is promoted, biodiversity is conserved, and an environmental culture committed to caring for the local territory is strengthened."
Inspired by Colegio Regional Bilingüe? Join the global #GenerationRestoration Schoolscampaign and connect your learners with ecosystem restoration through meaningful, locally relevant action. Whether you’re restoring grasslands, exploring your local ecosystems, or taking small steps to support biodiversity, your school can be part of the global movement to restore nature.
Sign4Earth: Expanding Access to Ecosystem Restoration Education in Armenia
What does Ecosystem Restoration Education (ERE) look like when every learner can participate?
Students and educators from the Yerevan Special Educational Complex for Children with Hearing Disorders.
At LEAF (Learning about Ecosystems and Forests), we believe reconnecting people with nature starts by ensuring everyone has the opportunity to learn from and care for their local ecosystems. Inclusive education is therefore a key part of our work under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
In Armenia, the Sign4Earth project is helping make Ecosystem Restoration Education (ERE)more accessible for young people with hearing disabilities.
Led by ISSD in collaboration with students and educators from the Yerevan Special Educational Complex for Children with Hearing Disorders, the project is developing the first Armenian Environmental Sign Language Dictionary. Through LEAF's Ecosystem Restoration Education Localisation Programme, 150 new environmental signs have been developed as part of a wider dictionary that will ultimately include more than 500 environmental signs.
The LEAF-supported signs cover plants, flowers, and key concepts such as biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem restoration, helping learners engage with nature-based learning and better understand the world around them.
Sign4Earth shows that inclusion is about more than access to education—it is about empowering everyone to contribute to ecosystem restoration. By removing communication barriers, more young people can participate in restoring nature and shaping a sustainable future.
The environmental sign language videos are continuously being expanded and are publicly available through ISSD's YouTube playlist, providing an open educational resource for educators, learners, and the wider community.
Inspired by Sign4Earth? Join the global #GenerationRestoration Schools campaign and connect your learners with ecosystem restoration through meaningful, nature-based action. Whether you're restoring habitats, creating inclusive learning experiences, or empowering young environmental leaders, your school can help build a healthier, more resilient future for people and nature.
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 Ecosystems and 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.