Winter Sunrise over Twin Lakes at Lake Clark National Park.
Instead of buying gadgets, gizmo's, gift cards and imaginationless toys this season, give the gift of nature's adventure. From annual park passes to zoo memberships and conservancy donations there is something on this list that is guaranteed to get your friends, colleagues, kids, and loved ones out the door and into nature.
Annual Park Passes:
Local National Park Pass - about $30.00 A great pass for those who live close to a National Park that they like to visit often. This pass is only good for admission into that one national park for a year from date of purchase, but it lets someone who say, really loves and only goes to
Alaska Zoo, Anchorage, Alaska
Donations/Memberships/Camps:
Why not make a donation in someones name, send a kid to camp, or purchase a membership to a nature conservancy or zoo this holiday season. These are great gifts that provide outdoor opportunities throughout the year while supporting good causes.
National Parks Conservation Association - works closely with the national park service to promote conservation and stewardship of natural places and fights for the rights of protected lands. Annual membership - $25.00.
National Audubon Society - Their mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. Annual membership - $20.00.
Zoos and Aquariums - These are wonderful for the whole family and the gift of an annual membership will provide days of fun throughout the year, not to mention providing opportunities to learn about and connect with species from all over the world. And since these centers rely heavily on private donations and patronage, a gift membership will help them meet their funding needs. Family membership - about $85.00. For a list of
WebRangers - FREE - sign a child in your life up to be a web ranger with the National Park Service. Kids can earn badges while exploring parks and learning about various ecosystems. Great for science projects and school fairs. Pair with a purchase of a ranger vest or activity kit from the NPS bookstore and you have a great gift!
NPS Kids Camps - these day camps are currently only offered by a few park units, but the momentum is beginning to grow. Costs vary from $45 - $100 and include all day activities and lunch. Also, not all units offering programs are listed above, so call the national park that you are interested in and see what programs they offer.
Skill Lessons - have a love one that wants to learn to rock climb or mountain bike or camp or maybe they already do these things but want to advance their skills? Why not sign them up for some lessons or a seminar. REI offers a number of intro skills classes as do other outdoor sport stores. In addition, try contacting local climbing gyms and outdoor schools to see what they offer. Most people have heard of the big outdoor schools like NOLS and Outward Bound - and although great - these cost quite a bit of money to attend. So, stay local and conduct an Internet search using key words such as: rock climbing school
Other Gift Ideas:
National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps - at $11.95 these tear resistant, water proof gems cover national parks, forests and more and make great stocking stuffers!
Green Trails Maps - at $5.50 these maps can't be beat. They cover mostly the west coast and
National Geographic Topo Software - at $100 and up, this software is great for the map lover in your life. With Top software, one can download and print custom map sections right at home. Waypoints and other trail markers can be customized and uploaded to a GPS unit.
The list of ideas to inspire and motivate you to give the gift of the outdoors is endless, as there are so many organizations and clubs to choose from. The best idea remains finding out what your loved one likes to do outside and pairing that up with a membership, gift, or pass that will get them outside and into nature throughout the year.
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