Swan Valley Connections finds a new home

Swan Valley Connections, a natural resource conservation and education nonprofit based in Condon, has purchased a new office space. After 28 years in the Condon Work Ceter, staff members anticipate moving into their new location, named the "River House," early this spring. It is located about a mile south of their current location.

In May 2024, staff at Swan Valley Connections were told the Northern Region of the Forest Service, based in Missoula, was considering conveyance, or a transfer of property ownership, of the Condon Work Center.

Historically, the 15-acre work center was an expansion of the Condon Ranger Station and has been used to house local fire and youth crews. Since SVC has occupied space there, it has served as a connection point for the local community to the Forest Service.

According to Forest Service officials in June, maintenance costs for continuing to operate the property amounted to over $1 million. With dwindling national funds from programs like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Great American Outdoors Act - both passed by the Biden Administration - the Forest Service started looking at the work center property and considered portions with high maintenance costs - locations with old septic systems or roofs that needed upgrading - for conveyance.

In the same summer time frame, Forest Service representatives told the Pathfinder there is $6 to $8 million dollars of deferred maintenance across the Northern Region of the Forest Service and an annual budget of $3 million to address that maintenance.

Sara Lamar, managing director of education at Swan Valley Connections, said conversations with different Forest Service representatives would often end with an encouragement to the nonprofit to strongly consider moving out by the end of the lease in March 2025. Lamar said SVC asked for an extension, which didn't seem like an option that was going to come to fruition.

"That was sort of a huge hypothetical hanging over us," Lamar said.

With support from Swan Valley Connection's board and staff, management began looking for other options. They became aware of a house for sale in Condon that had been on the market for a while, Lamar said, and was at more of a "moderate price point" for spots for sale in Condon. It contained 11 acres, 10 of which are river bottom, Lamar said, and it's right off the highway, something she said a regular homeowner isn't typically looking for in the Swan Valley.

Lamar said the house had kind of an odd layout for a home, but was great for an office. It comes with a garage and three sheds for storage, which Lamar said would be great for SVC considering things like waders, snowmobiles and bear-proof garbage cans the nonprofit often has to stow away.

SVC closed on the property on Dec. 12 after looking at it in late August. The total amount the organization needs to raise - including the cost of the house and different associated maintenance items needing to be addressed before opening, like bathroom, electrical and commercial code work - is $530,000.

In support of SVC, local landowners chipped in $296,000. The Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation (Claiborne and Ortenberg used to live in the Swan Valley) is matching the remainder, up to $117,000, to fill the gap. Lamar said the goal is for the matched money to come from donations. SVC dipped into its emergency fund to finance part of the house in order to close on the property.

Lamar said SVC's supporters understood the need for the Swan Valley to have the physical presence of a local conservation organization, and supported the nonprofit's goal of not having a gap in the services to the community when the work center lease is up in March. If all goes according to plan, SVC should be able to open to the public in its new location around the same time.

"It's a space where anyone can come in the door and they can ask a question about identifying a mushroom, which would lead to a conversation about having conflicts with grizzly bears ... all of those informational interactions are how we do conservation," Lamar said.

SVC is still invested in the future of the work center, Lamar said. Having a solution to their pending deadline of moving out allows them more brain space to be engaged in the process and follow up with the Forest Service as needed.

"If it takes five years or 10 years to find the best outcome for this facility then that's what it'll take," Lamar said. "We don't need to rush anything."

If interested in donating or learning more about the River House, visit https://www.swanvalleyconnections.org/the-river-house