Feb 03, 2026
- Nature & Human Health–Utah (NHH-UT) strengthens collaboration among Utah organizations using nature to promote health and wellness
- More than a dozen pilot grants have sparked new research, community programs, and federal funding
- Projects support underserved communities, youth initiatives, health care partnerships, and nature-based education
- New collaborations, including Wonderbloom and Tracy Aviary’s outdoor preschool, expand access to early childhood nature learning
Connecting Nature and Health in Utah
Dorothy (Dart) Schmalz, professor and chair in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism in the College of Health at the University of Utah, is leading a movement that blends research, community engagement, and education. As co-leader of Nature & Human Health-Utah (NHH-UT), Schmalz works to strengthen the connection between nature and well-being—a concept backed by growing scientific evidence.
“One of the things we set out to do is help organizations with the same mission find each other so they can advance their goals,” she says. “We found that all these organizations have similar agendas but are working in silos and wanted to connect them to share resources.”
The initiative began in 2019 with a simple idea: connect organizations that have similar goals of utilizing nature for health and wellness. Nalini Nadkarni, professor emerita in the School of Biological Sciences, helped secure funding with REI through her connections with the Nature and Health group at the University of Washington. This was pivotal to give the alliance momentum to launch programs and partnerships.
NHH-UT operates as a research-practice collaborative. Its mission is to connect organizations and communities through membership meetings, pilot grants, and an annual conference. In March 2023, the team hired program manager Myra Gerst to lead a community landscape assessment, mapping organizations across the valley and identifying gaps in access to nature.
“What we have found is there are often these great organizations that cannot achieve what they are trying to do without partnerships,” Schmalz explains. “We provide opportunities for these groups to connect and collaborate.”
Pilot Grants Driving Change
Since 2022, NHH-UT has funded 13 pilot projects over two funding cycles, designed to explore and expand the health benefits of nature while improving access for underserved communities. These projects cross research, implementation, and community engagement, creating a collaborative space for researchers, graduate students, and local organizations to work together.
One of the earliest projects, led by Joanna Bettmann Schaefer, professor in the College of Social Work, conducted a meta-analysis on the effects of nature for people with mental health conditions. Research showed that even 10 minutes of nature exposure can yield mental health benefits. The study produced four publications, one of which received an award, and nine popular press citations—evidence that is now informing wellness programming and policy conversations statewide.
Another standout example is Setting the Stage for Nature-Based Interventions for Youth with Rheumatic Diseases, which began as a small pilot and is now shaping the future of pediatric care. The project’s principal investigator Hanna Saltzman, a pediatric rheumatology fellow, used the NHH-UT pilot grant to launch the first-ever nature intervention study in her field. That initial support led to funding from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA), positioning her for future NIH grants.
“I am a pediatric rheumatology fellow with a background in environmental health, and I was intrigued by nature-based intervention research but had no way to start a project without funding,” Saltzman explains. “The pilot grant enabled me to design the first-ever nature intervention study within pediatric rheumatology. I successfully applied to a larger grant, and the subsequent funding organization cited my previous NHH-UT grant as a key reason they chose to fund my follow-up study.”
This trajectory demonstrates how NHH-UT pilot grants serve as a springboard for groundbreaking research and sustained funding.
“These pilot funds are something we’re really proud of,” Schmalz says. “They give researchers the baseline data they need to catch the eye of federal funders and help community organizations build sustainable programs.”
Community-focused projects have also thrived. A project called Homelessness, Health, and Nature connected University of Utah researchers with individuals living in encampments along the Jordan River and partnered with the Tracy Aviary's Nature Center at Pia Okwai. “The NHH-UT financial support was critical for connecting University of Utah researchers with communities living in encampments along the nearby Jordan River, and with making connections with the Nature Center at Pia Okwai,” says Jeff Rose, associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. “Since the initiation of that project, we’ve had numerous students taking part in nature-based community engagement with a part of our community that is often overlooked and under-resourced.”
Other pilots targeted specific populations, such as Bound for Nature, which engaged 180 college students to foster mental health through campus nature programming. Data from this project is now informing wellness initiatives at the University of Utah. Similarly, Women’s River School developed programming tailored to women and gender minorities, collecting and sharing findings with outdoor recreation organizations to improve inclusivity.
Community engagement projects like Breathe 4 Trees and Camping in Color have strengthened social ties and promoted equity. Breathe 4 Trees planted nine trees during its first annual event and achieved nonprofit status, while Camping in Color served 14 families and established a new leadership model for future programming.
Youth-focused initiatives include Summer Camps for Incarcerated Youth, which hosted 17 sessions and nine follow-up field trips, and Outdoor-Based Programming for First-Generation Scholars, which secured permanent funding for future orientations and expanded its reach to more students.
A Perfect Partnership: Wonderbloom and Tracy Aviary
Another example of NHH-UT fostering collaborations is the new outdoor preschool created by Wonderbloom and Tracy Aviary. Wonderbloom’s founder, Dr. Sarah Stone, met Tim Brown, president and CEO of Tracy Aviary and co-leader for the NHH-UT,. Their shared commitment to nature-based education led to a partnership that will bring early childhood learning outdoors—a model shown to boost cognitive development and emotional well-being.
“When I met Tim through Nature & Human Health-Utah, it felt like the perfect alignment of vision and values,” Stone says. “Wonderbloom’s goal is to give children access to nature-based education, and partnering with Tracy Aviary means we can offer families an immersive experience that supports cognitive growth, emotional well-being, and community connection.”
Tim Brown agrees: “Partnering with Wonderbloom through Nature & Human Health-Utah was a natural fit for us. Our mission has always been about connecting people to nature, and this collaboration allows us to start that connection early in life. Outdoor learning isn’t just fun—it’s foundational for healthy development and building a lifelong appreciation for the environment.”
He adds, “This partnership is about more than education—it’s about equity. We know that access to green spaces is linked to health outcomes, and by creating opportunities on the west side of Salt Lake City, we’re helping address a real need in our community.”
Looking forward with Nature & Human Health Utah
Through two rounds of funding, NHH-UT has identified three priorities for the future:
- Refining funding categories to focus on healthcare-related projects with measurable impact.
- Strengthening evaluation standards by requiring grantees to include clear assessment plans.
- Supporting long-term sustainability by asking applicants to outline future funding strategies.
The organization is we are currently reviewing applications that were submitted for the third cycle of pilot grants. Researchers were asked to present topics that partner with healthcare organizations and explore topics that are directly related to health outcomes.
As Schmalz and her team continue to connect organizations and fund innovative projects, the ripple effect grows. From outdoor preschools to medical research, Nature & Human Health-Utah is shaping a healthier future for Utah communities—one partnership at a time.
