The Royal Gardening Society of Norway is pleased to announce the participation of Sydskogen Skole in Kongedugnad, a national initiative developed to connect children, schools, and families with nature through participation, learning, and community engagement.
For the 2026 season, Kongedugnad will be implemented as a pilot program, allowing the initiative to be tested and refined before a broader national rollout planned for 2027.
Despite the strong interest expressed by several schools, The Royal Gardening Society of Norway made the deliberate decision to begin with a small and focused pilot, ensuring that the experience can be carefully observed, evaluated, and improved together with participating educators. The insights gathered during the 2026 edition will help shape a stronger and more scalable national program in the years to come.
The First School to Join Kongedugnad
Through this collaboration, Sydskogen Skole became the first school to formally participate in the Kongedugnad initiative, reflecting a shared commitment to environmental awareness, community participation, and the cultivation of sustainable values among children.
Kongedugnad draws inspiration from the Norwegian tradition of dugnad, voluntary collective effort, and seeks to translate that spirit into a meaningful educational experience for younger generations. By combining outdoor care activities, observation of nature, and creative learning, the initiative encourages children to develop a deeper connection with the natural environment surrounding their school and community.
Supporting the Pilot Program
As part of the pilot collaboration, The Royal Gardening Society of Norway provided Sydskogen Skole with gardening and outdoor materials selected to support hands-on activities, outdoor learning experiences, and community participation during the Kongedugnad period.
The pilot program took place during the spring season, from 15 April to 15 May 2026, a period symbolically connected to renewal, growth, and collective preparation for Norway’s National Day celebrations.
The structure of the pilot was intentionally flexible, allowing teachers and students to adapt activities to the rhythm of the school and to their existing educational priorities.
Kongedugnad and the Oslo Green Belt
The participation of Sydskogen Skole in the 2026 pilot also contributed to the emerging Oslo Green Belt, a growing network of institutions, companies, embassies, and schools participating in initiatives developed by The Royal Gardening Society of Norway.
While Oslo is widely known for the protected forest belt that surrounds the city, the Oslo Green Belt focuses on strengthening sustainable care and management of green spaces within the urban environment itself.
Through programs such as Royal Gardens and Kongedugnad, institutions and schools across the city can contribute to improving the ecological quality, visibility, and educational value of urban green spaces.
An Initiative Growing Toward 2027
The 2026 pilot edition of Kongedugnad represents the first step in what is envisioned as a long-term national initiative connecting children, schools, families, and communities around shared environmental responsibility.
The experience gathered through the pilot collaboration with Sydskogen Skole has contributed to the further development of the initiative and will help inform a framework that can be expanded to more schools across Norway beginning in 2027.
The Royal Gardening Society of Norway welcomes interest from schools, institutions, and partners who wish to follow or contribute to the development of Kongedugnad and the broader Oslo Green Belt.
Such a nice initiative. It’s great to see schools like Sydskogen Skole getting students involved with nature 😊
Thank you, Elisabeth! We’re very happy to see the enthusiasm from Sydskogen Skole and look forward to seeing how the students engage with Kongedugnad.