• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.36-48
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• 2018

This study surveyed 599 elementary schools in Seoul to provide measures for the quantitative expansion and sustainable operation of environmentally-friendly school garden. Of all schools, 161 schools had formed and were operating school gardens. The total area of school gardens was $166,901m^2$ and the mean area was $131.2m^2$ in elementary, junior high and high schools in Seoul. Meanwhile, the total area of school gardens was $65,493m^2$ and the mean area was $363m^2$ in 161 schools that participated in the survey, indicating $1.15m^2$ per student. Of these schools, 11.8% were operating gardens themselves, while 50.3% were operating gardens that had been newly renovated or environmentally improved by institutional support projects after initially managing gardens themselves. According to the locations of school gardens, mixed-type gardening (a combination of school gardening and container vegetable gardening) accounted for 34.8%, followed by school gardening at 32.9%, container vegetable gardening at 29.2%, and suburb community gardening at 3.1%. Those in charge of garden operations were teachers at 51.6%, comprising the largest percentage. Facilities built when forming the garden included storage facilities for small-scale greenhouses and farming equipment at 26.1%, accounting for the largest percentage. No additional facilities constructed accounted for 21.7%. The greatest difficulty in operating gardens was garden management at 34.2%. The most needed elements for the sustainable operation of gardens were improvement in physical environment and the need for hiring a paid garden, each accounting for 32%. The most important purpose for school gardening was creating educational environments (81.6%). The major source for gaining information on garden management was consultation from acquaintances (67.8%). Schools that utilize plant waste from gardens as natural fertilizers accounted for 45.8% of all schools. Responses to the impact of operating school gardens for educational purpose were positive in all schools as 'very effective' in 63.2% and 'effective' in 36.8%. This study was meaningful in that it intended to identify the current status of the operation of school gardens in elementary schools in Seoul, support the formation of school gardens appropriate for each school with sustainable operation measures, implement a high-quality education program, develop teaching materials, expand job training opportunities for teachers in charge, devise measures to support specialized instructors, and propose the need for a garden management organization.