Swaner’s Life on the Edge exhibit explores Earth’s extreme environments and how scientists use them to explore what life might exist in space. The hands-on exhibit looks at a colorful microbial colony found on Mars.
Director of Visitor Experience and Exhibits, Hunter Kingensmith, said some of that research takes place in Utah’s extreme environments.
“There are extreme environments and lots of little critters living in those on the preserve, so we try to overlap that with what's going on in the preserve,” she said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” March 31.
The exhibit is open through May 10. Locals can get in free April 15 and join in a rocket building contest from noon to 2:30 p.m.
The center will also host its annual Kimball Junction trash cleanup this month.
“So usually when the snow melts, although we haven't had that much snow on the preserve this year, there's a lot of trash left over, and that ends up flowing in storm water drains and with the wind into the Preserve, and can really impact our habitat,” she said.
The April 25 cleanup begins at 9 a.m. Volunteer shifts are still available.
Swaner is also trying to narrow a $65,000 funding gap after grant losses last year. The center is selling 2026 Earth Month conservation-themed shirts as part of the effort.
“This year felt like a great time to do an Earth Day fundraiser,” she said. “We lost a little bit of state grant funding that helped to do mostly invasive weed management on the preserve.”
Shirts can be ordered online through April 30 and a limited selection will be available at the center after that.
Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter is a financial supporter of KPCW.
