Pine Grosbeak © Nathaniel Sharp
Black Friday might have come and gone, but chances are a few people remain on your gift list. Don’t worry—we’ve got some ideas for all your conservation-minded loved ones. From wildlife enthusiasts to art lovers to appreciators of delicious coffee, there’s a little something for everyone on this list, and all with a conservation twist!
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VCE Project Shirts
T-shirts, long sleeves, hoodies—we’ve got them all! Our Bonfire page features three different designs whose sales support the Vermont Loon Conservation Project, Mountain Birdwatch, and Vermont Atlas of Life. Perfect for the community scientists and nature lovers on your list, each design sports VCE’s logo on the front and original artwork on the back. Visit VCE’s Bonfire site for more information on the designs and how to purchase.
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VT Fish & Wildlife Service Habitat Stamp
Proceeds from the sale of Habitat Stamps help keep Vermont’s rivers clean, woods connected, and meadowlands open for all to enjoy. With a minimum donation of $15 per 4″x5″ Habitat Stamp sticker, these make great stocking stuffers and support wildlife and public land conservation! You can purchase them here.
2021 Duck Stamp
Support bird habitat conservation across the nation by buying Federal Duck Stamps! A full 98% of the purchase price goes directly to help acquire and protect wetland habitat and purchase conservation easements for the National Wildlife Refuge System. This is among the most successful conservation tools ever created to protect habitat for birds and other wildlife. You can buy one here.
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Nicki Steel Photography
This suggestion is for everyone on your list who appreciates nature photography and art! Photographer and loon project volunteer Nicki Steel’s striking images are available in many forms on her website, such as in these stunning card sets. Besides photographing landscapes and nature in all its forms, Nicki also follows local eagle and loon families (you can find images on her website and Facebook page). In addition to the products listed on her site, she also has enlarged images available. Check out her photography and available products on her website.
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Native Plants & Their Pollinators Calendar
With 2021 winding to a close, it’s time to begin planning for 2022. And what better way to note all your important events than on a calendar?
If you missed purchasing a copy of local Vermont artist and geographer Daisy Hebb’s “Native Plants & Their Pollinators Calendar” last year, we have good news—Daisy has continued the design for 2022! Each month features a gorgeous watercolor image of flowers and their pollinators that were all native to North America pre-colonization. Aside from helping your loved ones plan their schedule, this calendar also provides information on each species, such as common and scientific names, and each plant’s region and basic growing conditions. To create the bee images, Daisy consulted with VCE biologist Spencer Hardy for advice about bees and their host plants.
Calendars cost $35 each (including shipping), with a portion of each purchase donated to support VCE’s wildlife conservation work. You can purchase the calendar here and check out more of Daisy’s artwork in her Etsy shop, GreenBlossomPainting.
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Birds & Beans Bird Friendly® Coffee
The coffee lover on your list will thank you for this one: Birds & Beans Bird Friendly® Coffee! This Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC)-certified coffee represents a gold standard in ethical and sustainable coffee business. Bird Friendly® coffee is sourced from family farms in Latin America that provide sustainable, forest-like habitat for birds. Rather than being grown on farms that have been cleared of vegetation, Bird Friendly® coffees are planted under a canopy of trees. These trees provide the shelter, food, and habitat that migratory and local birds need to survive. Order online or find your local stockist on the Birds & Beans website!
VCE Mug
Take your coffee drinker’s gift to the next level with the addition of a VCE mug! These brand-new mugs feature the VCE logo and come in two sizes. Like the shirts, sales of these mugs support VCE’s conservation programs. You can purchase one here.
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Wetland, Woodland, Wildland
Although not a new release (most recently published in 2019), this book by VT Fish & Wildlife (VFWD) biologists is a must-have for anyone who is curious about Vermont’s ecosystems. As VFWD describes it: “Richly illustrated with beautiful line drawings and stunning color photographs, this accessible field guide will delight outdoor explorers and armchair naturalists alike.” Learn more about it here.
Wasps: A Guide for Eastern North America
VCE biologist Spencer Hardy highly recommends this guide for all the insect enthusiasts on your list! In this book, readers can expect to learn why “the world could not afford to lose its wasps” and discover detailed descriptions of everything from wasp anatomy to nesting biology. With over 1,000 images, this book is sure to delight nature photography enthusiasts as well! You can buy the book here.
Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests
The avid birder on your list will be thrilled with this guide! Released in 2021, this bird nest guide is the perfect addition to any birders’ library. With its in-depth descriptions of nest structure and nesting behavior, this guide “is a practical, educational, and intimate doorway to our continent’s bird life”. Just be prepared for your bird-loving buddy to spend all their time scouring the winter landscape for signs of abandoned nests! You can buy the book here.
