Swaner Shorts
Every Friday from 2:00 - 2:30pm at the EcoCenter
We're excited to introduce our new weekly nature discussion, Swaner Shorts. Join a Swaner naturalist at the EcoCenter to learn about a neat nature topic each week. Each Swaner Shorts program will include a short presentation about the topic of the week and hands-on opportunities to learn about it. This program is great for all ages and no registration is required.
| June 3 |
What are the Health Benefits of Nature? Did you know that spending time in nature can benefit both your mental and physical health? Join a Naturalist to learn how and test it out! |
| June 10 |
Waterfowl What kind of waterfowl can we find on the Preserve? Come to this discussion to learn more about these types of birds and for a chance to spot some on the beaver pond right outside the EcoCenter! |
| June 17 |
What Makes an Invasive Weed Invasive? Learn what invasive weeds do to our local ecosystem, how some of them were introduced to our area, and what we're doing at Swaner to mitigate these non-native species. |
| June 24 |
What in the World is the Duck Stamp? Lets talk about our nation's longest running conservation fundraiser and what it means to us here at Swaner! |
| February 18 |
Elk Let's get to know our favorite winter visitors here at Swaner! |
| February 25 |
An Intro to Snow Come with us onto the Preserve while we take a look at the layers of snow and learn about what snow teaches us about our winter and what it will mean for us moving forward. |
| March 4 |
Animal Tracks Learn how to be an expert at identifying animal tracks by learning with a Naturalist and practicing outside! |
| March 11 |
Migration Animals are coming back to Swaner! Where did some of our most notable birds go and what are they busy doing once they get home? Learn the importance of the great basin watershed to our migratory friends. |
| March 18 |
Scat Join a Swaner Naturalist to learn about the big, wide world of poop! That's right, we are talking about animal's poop. |
| March 25 |
Sandhill Cranes Our unofficial mascot has returned to the Preserve from their winter home! These 4 foot tall birds will begin their mating and nesting soon, so come to this session to learn all about it. |
| April 1 |
The Migratory Bird Act Let's learn the history of the Migratory Bird Act Treaty and how it protects our feathery friends today! |
| April 8 |
Swallows Swallows are a sure sign of spring here on the Preserve! Join us to learn what makes swallows so special by talking about their behavior, migration patterns, and nests! |
| April 15 |
How Do Wetlands Filter Water? Wetlands are like a supermarket, they have everything needed for a healthy ecosystem. One really important item in their inventory is their ability to filter water! Join us to learn about how wetlands keep our water clean. Come with closed toed shoes that you don't mind getting a bit muddy. We'll take a walk out onto the wetlands of the Preserve. |
| April 22 |
Earth Day! How did earth day come to be and what can we do to help take care of our beautiful planet? Join us to find out! |
| April 29 |
What Makes a Healthy Stream? Join a swaner Naturalist to learn about what makes a healthy stream! Come with closed toed shoes that you don't mind getting a bit muddy. We'll take a walk out to the stream to explore. |
| May 6 |
Raptors Eagles, and falcons, and hawks - oh my! Dive into the amazing world of raptors at this session of Swaner Shorts and learn about what makes these kinds of birds so incredible. |
| May 13 |
Watersheds and the Water Cycle Where is our water at Swaner from and where is it going? Come meet with a Swaner Naturalist to learn about the water cycle and our place in it all! |
| May 20 |
What are the Health Benefits of Nature? Did you know that spending time in nature can benefit both your mental and physical health? Join a Swaner Naturalist to learn how and test it out! |
| May 27 |
Uinta Ground Squirrels Commonly called "potguts" in Utah, Uinta ground squirrels play an important role in the food web at the Swaner Preserve. Come to this session to find out more about these critters and how to protect them! |
Name: Hunter Klingensmith
Position: Visitor Experience and Exhibit Manager
E-mail: hunter.klingensmith@usu.edu
Phone: 435-797-8943