Natural Gifts Perfect for Holiday Giving

By Jim Low, Missouri Dept. of Conservation

First posted on 11-24-2009

The nature lovers on your list will love you for shopping with the Conservation Department.

You can save shoe leather, gas money and shopping time by doing holiday shopping with the Missouri Department of Conservation. You can save money too.

One way to save money is a special deal on Missouri’s two conservation-related calendars. The Outdoor Heritage Calendar ($7), now in its second year, has day-to-day entries marking the progression of the sporting year. The 25th anniversary issue of the Natural Events Calendar (also $7) has dozens of color photos of wild plants, animals and Missouri landscapes, plus daily glimpses of natural events ranging from bobcats mating to morels popping. Starting Nov. 20, you can buy both calendars for $10 at Conservation Nature Centers, visitor centers and regional offices statewide.

Another way to save is by presenting your Conservation Heritage Card for a 15-percent discount on everything from books to DVDs. This discount is available whether you buy in person at Conservation Department facilities or at the Nature Shop online (http://www.mdcnatureshop.com).

Most Nature Shop items sell for $10 or less, as the following examples illustrate.

· Voices of the Hills ($9) is a two-CD set that celebrates the music, history and culture of Missouri’s Ozarks. This is a remix of an earlier CD with enhanced sound quality and new material.

· Tried and True Native Missouri Plants for Your Yard ($6) showcases more than 100 plants that thrive in Missouri soils and climate. Detailed tables describe each plant’s growing requirements, size and wildlife benefits.

· Missouri Wildflowers ($12) is a redesigned and updated version of the wildflower lovers’ classic. Its 296 pages have a new cover, enlarged format, new design and improved photographs. Flowers are arranged by color and blooming time.

· Bluebird or Cardinal Note Cards ($8). These note card collections were photographed by the Conservation Department’s own nature photographers. Cards are 4 1/2” by 6” and come in packages of 12, with envelopes.

· A Paddler’s Guide to Missouri ($6) traces its lineage back several decades, but this version has been updated in ways that would make the original author, Oz Hawksley, proud. The larger format accommodates maps showing accesses and landmarks along 58 streams from the Missouri River to Little Sugar Creek.

All these and many more items are available at http://www.mdcnatureshop.com. Many Nature Shop items also are available at Conservation Department nature centers and regional offices around the state. Purchases are subject to shipping and handling charges and sales tax where applicable. More information is available by calling 877-521-8632.

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