The Impact of Pedagogical Vegetable Gardens: A Randomized Experiment in Primary Schools

In response to the growing disconnection between children and nature, this project evaluates a school-based intervention designed to promote nature-based education through gardening activities. While many French primary schools are equipped with pedagogical gardens, these resources are often underutilized. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) assesses the impact of a low-cost, nudge-style intervention aimed at encouraging teachers to engage more actively with school gardens. The intervention combines three components: curated educational content from WWF France’s “Ecole Jardinière” program, practical activity guides promoting hands-on gardening experiences, and the provision of seeds to lower barriers to action. Implemented in schools that already have a garden, the program targets both indoor and outdoor educational practices. The evaluation focuses on several key outcomes: students’ connectedness with nature, environmental behaviors, well-being, socio-emotional skills, and academic performance. It also examines secondary effects on teachers’ motivation and environmental attitudes, as well as potential spillover effects on family behaviors. By leveraging existing infrastructure and providing actionable resources to teachers, this study contributes new evidence on the role of experiential learning in fostering environmental awareness and student well-being in early education settings.