ISHS Acta Horticulturae 790: VIII International People-Plant Symposium on Exploring Therapeutic Powers of Flowers, Greenery and Nature
CREATING PLACES TO TARRY AND PLAY - RELATION BETWEEN CHILDREN AND "MICHIKUSA KAJUEN" |
| Authors: | H. Imanishi, S. Terui, H. Tsuyuzaki |
| Keywords: | small fruit trees, event, questionnaire, values, student |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.790.41 |
| Abstract:
A "Michikusa Kajuen (Orchard to Tarry and Play)" was created along a road to an elementary school and a junior high school in Ogata, Akita, Japan in March 2002. The aim of this orchard was to develop a variety of values in children through free interaction with small fruit trees. Events were held at the orchard in which people were invited to participate in such activities as planting, weeding, etc. four times in the two years following the orchard's creation. Various aspects of the children’s relationship to the orchard were investigated by means of questionnaires one year after the orchard's creation by which time these events had been held twice. One-hundred-and-sixty-two children from the fourth to ninth grades were polled. Fifty-one percent of the children responded that they knew the orchard's "name and/or place". Although only 8% had actually taken part in events, 32% of the respondents expressed "very" or "a little" interest. It was clear that approximately half of them expected "fruit to grow in large amounts" and "various types of fruit to be grown". The nature of the participation of the children (from elementary school to high school students) was also investigated by means of questionnaires of children at the event (n = 12 at the first event, 6 at the second, 4 at the third, and 5 at the fourth). Most children participated in the first event with a parent due to their parent's encouragement, but they agreed to participate in the second and following events together with their friends. The percentage of those who responded as "interested" increased from 63% at the first event to 80% on and after the second event. The largest number responded as "looking forward to growing fruit in large amounts". These students participated repeatedly; 60% of them participated two or more times. It was indicated that once an individual participated in an event regarding the orchard, his or her concern for it deepened. Accordingly, encouragement from family or friends may be useful for the students to initially participate in the events, in order to expand the program. | |
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