The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Excited for the holiday season? For The Nature Conservancy, the holidays mean taking time to celebrate the lands and waters that you helped us conserve this year. And we get to thank you for your support!

Thanks to you, in 2011 we placed 10 million baby oysters in the Chesapeake Bay, returned native plants along streams and rivers in western Maryland, fought invasive species alongside the Maryland Forest Service and planted hundreds of rare Atlantic white cedars. We’re now charting a course for 2012, and with your help, we resolve to accomplish even more.

Of course, the holiday season also means reuniting family and friends and sharing traditions. Below you’ll find our suggestions for “greening” your long-standing rituals and starting some new traditions for a more sustainable celebration.

Green Your Traditions

• Did the food on your holiday dinner table travel farther than your guests? Focus on local and in-season foods and you’ll connect with nature as well as your family and friends.
• Growth in farmers markets over the past year topped 17%, with more than 150 available here in Maryland/DC. Find one near you.
• Take a hike! Power off the electronics (for a few hours, at least) and take a hike with family and friends. Bring a camera to capture your experience — and share your photos on our local Facebook page.

Green Your Giving

• The average American will spend more than $700 this year on gifts. Save some green this year with thoughtful, creative gifts. Make that special someone a card or photo album, or give an experience such as a cooking class, or trip to one of Maryland/DC's beautiful state or national parks.
• The U.S. produces more than 5 million extra tons of trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Skip the fancy wrappings that end up in landfills and give the gift of nature instead. A Nature Conservancy gift membership is a great way to help protect the lands and waters we all need to survive. Your donations stay local: Give $50, for example, and you could plant 250 baby oysters in the Chesapeake Bay.
• Share your ideas and join us in celebrating Green Gift Monday. New ideas will be added throughout the season to encourage responsible, meaningful holiday gifts.

Green Your New Year’s Resolutions

• Join Team Nature here in Maryland/DC, our group of local runners looking to share tips and practices for going green. Look for our super-cool green t-shirts at area races.
• Follow our Passport to Nature series — and go explore our area’s wonderful natural areas for yourself!