Community Ecology Institute | 236 followers on LinkedIn. Creating a world in which human and natural communities thrive together. | The Community Ecology Institute is a 501c3 non-profit with a mission to foster socially and ecologically healthy communities by enhancing diverse connections between all people and the natural world. Our vision is for a world in which people and nature thrive together. CEI’s emphasis on connecting people with nature is based on extensive research on the positive impacts of spending time in nature on personal health, family and community well-being, and the development of long-lasting environmental stewardship behavior.