Environmental Interpretive Center | University of Michigan-Dearborn

Discover Your Oasis in the City

Explore, Experience, and Discover:

The EIC serves as the heart of UM-Dearborn’s Interpretive Trails, a sprawling 120-acre nature preserve dedicated to education and conservation. Whether you are exploring our two-mile trail system or participating in our community programs, we invite you to experience the vital bond between humans and the environment.

Visit the Grounds: Trails are accessible 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset.
Visit the Center: Our building is open weekdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Students feel bark of the tree as staff guide leads

Education & Programs

K-12, homeschool, and youth programs designed to inspire the next generation and bring science to life.

Group of students completing planting of vegetables into garden beds

Community Engagement

Rooted in Dearborn through our organic garden, community workshops, and local partnerships.

Group volunteer to plant garden plots

Get Involved

Support our mission through volunteer opportunities or meaningful donations.

EIC children's wall

About the EIC

Meet our team, explore our history, and find your way to our facility.

Group of three stand in the ESA with buckets and nets.

Environmental Study Area

Discover 120 acres of diverse habitats, research, and outdoor classrooms.

students take nature hike in the spring along trails

Sustainability

Explore our living landscapes, from rain gardens to native pollinator habitats.

Upcoming Events

More Events

EIC News

More EIC News

Four people - two males and two females - stand outside of a campus building's floor-to-ceiling windows. The sign in the background reads, "Environmental Interpretative Center."

Happy 25th anniversary, EIC

The Environmental Interpretive Center’s 25-year milestone celebrates the rich history of nature education and stewardship that’s taken place on the land for many years. The staff is hosting an anniversary event on May 16. ...

Stephanie Warneck and Kenzie Warneck play a large Jenga game at the 2024 Alumni picnic. Their parents are 2006 alums Rachel and Brian Warneck

Five fun things to do this summer

UM-Dearborn offers more than a career pathway — while on campus, you can also play games, walk nature trails, stargaze and more....

Naturalist Donna Posont leading a bird walk

Sharing nature’s beauty through touch, smell and sound

National and statewide awards honor EIC staff member and ’15 alum Donna Posont for her work as an inclusive naturalist educator and advocate....

Photo of EIC Natural Areas Manager Rick Simek sitting on the south edge of Fair Lane Lake

Plan a trip to the lake

Take a dip into the history of Fair Lane Lake, along with what you’ll see when hiking around the trails that surround it....