Learning Gardens Laboratory

The Learning Gardens Laboratory (LGLab) is a project of the Portland International Initiative for Leadership in Ecology, Culture, and Learning (PIIECL) at Portland State University. The LGLab was established in 2005 through a partnership between PSU, the Portland Public Schools (PPS), and the City of Portland; its purpose is to meet the diverse learning needs of children and youth, educators, parents and PSU students by offering demonstration, curriculum development, research, consultancy, and participatory exploration in food- and garden-based teaching and learning.

The LGLab is geared to serve multicultural, low-income outer Southeast Portland neighborhoods, children, and parents/families; our primary PPS partner is Lane Middle School, located across the street from our 10 acres. Through the LGLab project, we have developed a model of creating edible gardens, growing food, preparing and eating meals, composting and recycling, and integrating different subject areas to help improve student achievement. Following permaculture and whole systems principles, the LGLab site is uniquely designed such that each element (soil, water, sunlight, biomass, plants, people, and sustainable technologies) is connected to the others.