Lower Columbia School Gardens

LCSG helps schools start & sustain gardens in SW WA - dynamic outdoor classrooms where students experience the natural world & engage in hands-on learning of science, math, nutrition, ecosystems & more. Children have opportunities to connect with real food & to treat themselves, others, & the world around them with care & respect. Students often take the lead; our staff & volunteers look for the teachable moments.
LCSG supports gardens at 16 schools (and growing!), providing staff, volunteers, and supplies for weekly garden and cooking programs, and student-led events like plant sales and summer produce markets.

We serve a high-needs county - the highest rates of obesity & chronic disease, highest number of food stamp recipients, a food bank where 40% of participants are children, an area well-known for rampant drug-use & poverty. LCSG continues to connect kids & families with real food & hands-on learning, lighting the way to a brighter future for the next generation in Cowlitz County.