Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter
The Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter is named in honor of Leland S. Swaner, who purchased the Spring Creek Angus Ranch in 1957 and stewarded the property for more than three decades. Following his death, the Spring Creek Angus Ranch Partnership donated 190 acres of land in his memory, leading to the creation of the Swaner Memorial Park Foundation in 1993.
What began as a single land donation grew through the addition of seven more parcels and the purchase of the Wallin Farm in 2003. By 2005, the organization had become the Swaner Nature Preserve, and construction of the Swaner EcoCenter began the following year. The EcoCenter opened in 2008 as a hub for environmental education, conservation, and community engagement.
In 2010, Utah State University assumed ownership and oversight of the Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter through a landmark gift valued at more than $30 million. The partnership expanded USU’s research, education, and outreach efforts in Summit County while ensuring the long-term protection of the preserve.
Prior to its current stewardship, this area of the Snyderville Basin served as seasonal foraging ground for Native Americans with recorded interactions dating to the 1600s, passageway for Mormon pioneers beginning in the 1800s, a sawmill, stage line, Pony Express route, railway, and agricultural land. Today, Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter encompasses 1,200 acres of protected wetlands, streams, foothills. The Preserve and LEED Platinum-certified EcoCenter welcome over 19,000 visitors annually and serve as a destination for environmental education, scientific inquiry, and community connection.
Guided by its mission to preserve, educate, and nurture, Swaner continues the legacy of stewardship that inspired its founding.
*Note: All bios are current and up-to-date as of Summer 2026.