National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Awards Trinity Health Ann Arbor $400,000 Grant to Preserve Natural Areas of Hospital Campus

YPSILANTI, Mich. (April 21, 2025) – Recognizing the vital link between health and natural spaces, Trinity Health Ann Arbor has launched Hospital Without Walls, an initiative supported by a $400,000 grant from The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The effort aims to preserve the natural areas of the 340-acre hospital campus, while also making them safe and accessible to foster health and well-being for patients, staff, and members of the community.

The natural areas include 103 acres of walking paths that connect to the Border-to-Border trail, in addition to a variety of natural habitats like mature forests, wetlands, meadowlands, and a prairie. Much of the wooded trail and infrastructure is in disrepair, some to the point of being unsafe and/or damaging to habitats and ecosystems.

“These funds are a blessing for everyone in the hospital and the greater Washtenaw County community, all of whom will benefit from the beautification and increased accessibility of our natural spaces,” said Alonzo Lewis, president of Trinity Health Ann Arbor, Livingston, Livonia and Oakland. “We know our environment, the space that we inhabit, can have a profound impact on how we feel, and it can directly influence our overall health and wellbeing. I’m excited to bring these spaces back to life and to better incorporate them into our healing mission.”

This project is made possible through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Erb Family Foundation, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, and Cleveland-Cliffs.

Aspects of the project include: 1) removing invasive species to improve habitat quality and connectivity, 2) restoring trails, 3) developing a workforce and volunteers, and educating them in how to restore habitats and steward natural resources, and 4) engaging community members as partners in fostering public access and use of the campus. Partners for the project include the Huron River Watershed Council, PlantWise, and Copper Bear Shire.

“The grant is the catalyst for this project, but volunteer involvement and participation will be crucial to its success,” said Jae Gerhart, manager of Farm Programs at The Farm at Trinity Health Ann Arbor. “If there are members of the community interested in assisting us with invasive species removal, boardwalk construction, and planting trees and flowers, I encourage them to sign up.”

A variety of dates, times, and tasks are available for those interested in volunteering. To sign up or for more information on how to get involved, click here.