The Nature Conservancy Presents the Holiday Season’s Must-Have Green Gifts

ARLINGTON, VA — November 16, 2009 —This holiday season, The Nature Conservancy encourages eco-savvy consumers to give gifts that will go twice as far– gifts that will delight loved ones while also protecting and preserving some of the world's most precious habitats for future generations.

“With gifts starting at just $10, green gift-giving has never been more popular,” said Sue Citro, director of the Conservancy’s digital membership program. “This year, we’re introducing several new, exciting options that are more than just unique holiday presents—they’re also lasting and secure investments for the future of our planet.”

As always, the Conservancy’s holiday gift site provides a fun, informative shopping experience. Interactive maps, photos, and fact sheets introduce gift-givers and recipients to the regions they're invited to protect. New this year are opportunities to ensure habitat protection for hummingbirds and northern jaguars, to protect the flow and supply of freshwater for communities in Latin America and to preserve stunning coral reefs in Palau, Papua New Guinea and the Dominican Republic. Gifts of $50 or more include a personalized certificate commemorating your generosity, a one-year subscription to Nature Conservancy magazine, and much more.

This year’s gift guide also features a bundle of new social media features that allow visitors to take a Facebook quiz that identifies your best gift-giving options, or broadcast messages via Twitter, encouraging friends to go green—and give green gifts!— during the holidays.

For more gift-giving selections that support the Conservancy’s conservation efforts, check out The Nature Conservancy Marketplace, an online shop that offers a number of unique items at a variety of prices, from the Design for a Living World exhibition catalog to these cool eco-earrings, as well as Nature Conservancy apparel for the whole family.

Read on to learn more, and visit www.nature.org/giftguide for more information on the Conservancy and the many gift-giving options offered this holiday season.

Adopt a Coral Reef
Coral reefs are the largest living structures on the planet and are among the oldest ecosystems in the world. Although coral reefs cover less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, they are home to 25% of all marine fish species. 500 million people rely on coral reefs for their food and livelihoods. Coral reefs have even been used in the treatment of cancer, HIV, cardiovascular diseases and ulcers. This year, green gift-givers can choose to adopt from three exciting locations, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the Dominican Republic.

Adopting a coral reef supports efforts to conserve this fragile habitat.

Save the Northern Jaguar or Protect Hummingbird Habitat
They may differ pretty significantly in size, but the jaguar and the hummingbird both need plenty of room to roam. The hummingbird can migrate more than 2,000 miles from central Mexico to as far north as British Columbia, Canada, on wings that aren’t quite two-and-a-half inches long. The northern jaguar roams from as far south as Patagonia all the way to Arizona and New Mexico.

A gift for jaguars and hummingbirds will support efforts to save their habitat.

The “Must-Have” Gift…Water
Every time a free-flowing river is altered, a lake is fouled by toxic runoff or a wetland is drained, the ability of freshwater systems to sustain life is disrupted and weakened. Give the gift of clean water and your loved one can take pride in the fact that their gift is helping to protect the flow and supply of fresh water and ensuring the well-being and very survival of our own species.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.