Many people are searching for an alternative way to give this Christmas, and the Nature Conservancy is offering tips for green gift giving.
Canada’s leading not-for-profit, private land conservation organization is offering its 24th annual Gifts of Canadian Nature for the holiday season. Through this alternative green gift-giving program, people can symbolically adopt Canadian wildlife or landscapes.
NCC has been protecting this country’s lands and waters since 1962. With habitat loss continuing to be a major environmental threat to Canada’s natural treasures, funds raised through Gifts of Canadian Nature will help protect important wetlands, forests, coastal areas and grasslands.
In addition to symbolically adopting a piece from a diverse range of Canadian landscapes, people can also show their support for some of Canada’s iconic species. These include moose, bald eagle, monarch butterfly, polar bear, snowy owl, narwhal, Atlantic puffin, Canada lynx, swift fox, grizzly bear, wolverine, wolf, plains bison and American badger.
For people wanting to support conservation in British Columbia, gift-givers can choose land in the Rockies, the Interior grasslands or on the west coast. The wildlife “gifts” that are found in BC are grizzly bear, bald eagle, monarch butterfly, snowy owl, Canada lynx, wolverine, wolf and American badger.
“Gifts of Canadian Nature are practical for people who have friends and loved ones who enjoy nature or the outdoors,” said Jessica Panetta, national media relations manager with NCC. “Additionally, these ideas are handy for those on your shopping list who have everything or are difficult to buy for. Here is a way for people to give and receive unique, memorable and impactful gifts. You can avoid mall lineups, buy local and help us care for our natural spaces and wildlife.”
Over the past 24 years, more than $3 million has been raised through this holiday program to help NCC continue its conservation work across the country.
Charitable tax receipts are issued for all gift purchases. Gift recipients will receive a full-colour certificate, a 2019 NCC wall calendar showcasing Canadian landscapes, and a wildlife booklet about the symbolically adopted species. Paperless gift options are also available, in which case the recipients will receive an e-certificate.
More information can be found at giftsofnature.ca or by calling toll-free 1-800-465-8005.
For people considering which charity to support at this time of year, there is new information available to help inform their decisions. Ahead of the important gift-giving season, MoneySense issued its 9th annual Charity 100 report card. It evaluated Canadian charities for their overall efficiency, fundraising efficiency and social transparency. MoneySense named the Nature Conservancy of Canada the top environmental charity in the country with an overall grade of A+. It is important for Canadians to have confidence that their donations will go towards its designated purpose.