The Swaner Preserve and Eco Center in Park City. Photo: Claire Wiley

How the Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter became Park City's living laboratory for conservation and community connection

Nestled in the heart of Park City, the Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter is more than just a patch of protected land—it’s a living, breathing reminder of how people and nature can work together to preserve vital ecosystems for future generations.

From Ranchland to Preserve

The story of Swaner begins in the mid-1990s, when the Swaner family sought to honor their patriarch, Leland Swaner. “His family wanted to make some kind of memorial park,” shared Director of Conservation Rhea Cone.

“They really caught the conservation ‘bug,'” said Director of Exhibits and Visitor Experience Hunter Klingensmith.

What started as a simple memorial idea soon grew into something much larger: a 190-acre conservation project that would ignite a passion for protecting one of Utah’s rarest habitats—wetlands.

Hunter explained that wetlands make up only 1% of Utah’s landscape, yet they are vital habitat for more than 80% of the state’s wildlife.

Recognizing their importance, the Swaner family and community partners began the hard work of restoring the land. Much of it had been drained and converted for agriculture. The team turned to old aerial photos and land surveys to uncover the property’s original waterways. With the help of experts and countless volunteers, they dug out stream channels, reintroduced native plants, and slowly brought the wetlands back to life.

“It’s incredible now,” said Executive Director Lewis Kogan, expressing how the Swaner Preserve looks so natural, “like it’s always been there.”

A Living Sanctuary

Swaner isn’t just about conserving land—it’s about creating a sanctuary for both wildlife and people.

“Water that leaves the preserve is of higher quality than when it comes into the preserve,” shared Hunter. “All these ecosystems’ benefits are provided by the preserve.”

“We have so much wildlife here on the preserve,” said Lewis. On any given day, you might spot coyotes, sandhill cranes, red-winged blackbirds, barn swallows, owls, moose, elk, or deer roaming the property.

“We love getting volunteers out on the preserve,” said Rhea. “My team is small, and I can only do so much and be so many places at once. Volunteers help us accomplish pulling thousands of pounds of invasive weeds every year. Without volunteers, those things would not be possible.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

At its heart, the Swaner Preserve is about connection—between people, community, and the earth. Through camps, school programs, and hands-on learning, children and families discover not only the science behind nature but also the joy of exploring it.

The goal is simple yet profound: to help kids feel confident in nature, to inspire curiosity, and to cultivate a lifelong commitment to protecting special places like Swaner.

A Mission of Nurturing

“Swaner’s mission is to preserve, educate, and nurture—both people and the community as well as the ecosystem connected with it,” shared Hunter.

As Hunter put it: “Mountainkind to me, especially my role here at Swaner, means always looking at what we are doing through the lens of ‘how can we be nurturing people, the community, and our ecosystem all at the same time?’ Because none of those things can thrive if the others don’t.”

“When I think about the goals of the preserve and EcoCenter here,” said Lewis, “I think a lot about our mission and the different elements. But in my mind, it often boils down to one fundamental goal: we’re working to connect people to the earth and through the earth, to each other.”

At Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter, nature isn’t just protected—it’s shared, celebrated, and deeply connected to the lives of everyone who ventures into its habitat.

To learn more about the Our Town series, visit the Park City Chamber of Commerce website.