University Green Network

From wetlands to manicured gardens, Trent is home to a variety of habitats and green spaces. The University Green Network (UGN) brings these natural features together into a system to be protected, explored, and appreciated.

Ggwepnandizamin Systems-Level Plan

Ggwepnandizamin represents a collective and long-term commitment to care for land and water with humility, responsibility, and intention. By respecting Indigenous and western knowledge systems, advancing reconciliation through meaningful action, and strengthening ecological and institutional resilience, the Plan positions Trent University as a leader in integrated, place based land care. Together, Ggwepnandizamin charts a path forward—one that honours the past, responds to the present, and cares for the future.

Learn more about the plan.

Nurturing opportunities for learning and discovery

Through the UGN, Trent is training the next generation of environmental leaders to ensure a sustainable future. Here in our largest classroom, Trent students and researchers are engaged as active caretakers of the land, gaining a deeper understanding of our relationship with nature and each other.

An interconnected, living system

Protecting our campus lands for future generations is at the heart of the Lands Plan. With 60% of the campus designated as Nature Areas and green spaces within the UGN, the Symons Campus is a living network of diverse landscapes that infuses naturalized spaces into the built environment.

Integrating Indigenous spaces and perspectives

Our understanding of the land and how we use it is informed by Indigenous Knowledge and teachings from local Michi Saagiig First Nations knowledge keepers and Elders. The UGN celebrates Anishnaabeg culture, knowledge, and language, and supports the many Indigenous cultures represented on our campus through spaces for ceremony, teachings, and placemaking.

Fostering a love for nature

Being in nature is critical to our health and well-being. The UGN allows the broader community to connect with nature, learn on the land, and get active. Whether you need a quiet space to relax, a chance to connect with fellow nature lovers in the great outdoors, or seek to learn more about protecting the environment, the UGN is an inviting space for all to use.

UGN trail signage proudly supported by: