The Swaner Community Survey takes about 15 minutes if you answer the open-ended questions, which Executive Director Lewis Kogan hopes people will do. He said the answers will help shape what they do over the next 10 years.
“We want the community to help us know how can we best meet their desire to educate themselves, their children, their community members, about the environment and how we can care for the earth, and also, really importantly, how can we best foster a community of diverse people coming together around a shared love and respect for our place on this planet,” he said.
The preserve, he said, is focused on making sure that the land, the water and the wildlife habitats under their care are as healthy as they can possibly be. Additionally, he said it’s important that all members of the community benefit from the value of the natural world.
The survey asks how people connect with Swaner, how often they visit, and participate in their programs. Preserve leaders also want to know what role Swaner should play in the community and what its priorities should be.
The survey will be open until early August and Kogan expects by early fall they will have some answers. A board and staff retreat he said will help define the strategic plan he expects to have in place by the end of the year.
“I would still encourage people to go on there and take our survey as soon as possible,” he said. “The sooner we get feedback, the easier it is for us to do a good job completing our process.”
Meanwhile, the Swaner has several upcoming events. On Tuesday, July 22 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., they’re partnering with Basin Recreation for the annual Bike ‘n’ Botany event.
“We'll have some subject matter experts, experts from USU extension, joining you,” he said. “Get out on bikes learn all about the native flora here around Swaner and the Snyderville Basin.”
Tickets are on sale for the annual Wine in the Willows event on Saturday, Aug. 2 from 3-6 p.m.
"This is a really cool opportunity,” he said. “If you like wine, if you're interested in wine, this is something we try to do every year where you can come, actually sit out on the preserve and sample a bunch of different wines that are either sustainably produced, biodynamic or just innovative and have folks from our partner vine lore talk all about those wines and the process of producing them. It’s just a really good time.”
Finally, on August 14 from 9 a.m. to noon, they are teaming up with the Park City Museum and Utah Open Lands for a guided 5.5-mile hike along the Millennium Trail exploring local history, wildlife and conservation efforts.
