Belgian ISGA Leadership council members Provincial Natuurcentrum Limburg will be hosting the 2024 ISGA conference from 22nd - 24th April, at the Provinciehuis in Hasselt.
image © Boumediene Belbachir – Leefschool De Villa in Sint-Truiden
Speaking on behalf of the hosts, ISGA Leadership Council member Johan Lambrix explained that with over 20 years' experience of school grounds greening and an annual networking event taking place each spring, the time was perfect for collaborating with the ISGA to explore modern approaches to greening school grounds.
Possible discussion points might include opportunities for biodiversity in school grounds and how teachers can be helped to pay more attention to this; links between biodiversity and learning in nature and citizen science projects for schools. In recent years, ISGA discussions have often covered the challenges of climate change and what the role the (vast) school estates across the world can play in halting it or ameliorating its worst effects. We anticipate this being a hot topic at both the upcoming Brazil 2023 conference and next year in Belgium.
Johan and colleagues hope to engage a wide variety of speakers, workshop leaders and networkers to provide a diverse and compelling agenda. 'Talk' based sessions will be balanced with active outdoor workshops and field trips to nearby schools to experience school grounds greening in action.
You can find out more about Provincial Natuurcentrum here: www.provinciaalnatuurcentrum.be and read about previous ISGA conferences here: https://www.internationalschoolgrounds.org/conferences