On a sunny day in May at the Saline Royale in Arc-et-Senans, France, a group of about 20 primary schoolchildren, armed with a notebook about plants, flowers and nature, are getting practical experiences with the world of gardening and learning about the natural environment.
The children then explore the gardens of the Saline Royale, where each class is led by a professional gardener. Students are able to dig, plant, use tools and develop skills while learning about the flowers and plants around them.
It's all part of the Manuterra program, a project for schools, started by the Foundation Enterprise Hermes. The program began in September 2021, and invites students aged 6 to 18 from Arc-et-Senans to design, make and tend a garden. Combining educational and environmental issues, the themes for each class will also be adapted to the children's ages and abilities.
The program is designed to offer the participants a brief introduction of many environmental issues such as the life of the soil, biodiversity, the making and use of organic fertilizers and the influence of climate change. The program also encourages young children to work together and maintain the precious ecological (生态的) balance as well as become familiar with their everyday natural surroundings.
The program hopes that as the students learn from the gardens of the Saline Royale, they will be able to take away knowledge to cultivate their own space where they can grow various plants and flowers and preserve biodiversity for future generations.
"There is a drive to pass on knowledge to preserve the planet," said Laurent Pejoux, director of this program. "Climate change makes us take responsibility, and Manuterra is a response to this in order for the younger generations to protect the environment."
