Good Natured: Gift Ideas for the Naturalist

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With the ho-ho-holiday gift-giving deadline just around the corner, I thought it might be good to check in and see how we're all doing. Have you made your list? Checked it twice? Maybe even checked off most of what's on it? If so, good for you!

Then again, maybe you, like me, are among the folks that aren't faring so well. Maybe you're a procrastinator. (I am!) Or maybe you overthink every purchasing decision. (I do!) Or maybe you've been dealt the biggest gift-giving blow of all: Having a nature nerd on your list.

These people—my tribe—are a quirky bunch for sure. We tend to favor minimalist lifestyles so, in a way, receiving gifts is the antithesis of what we stand for.

But you know what? We're also pretty grateful for the simple pleasure a handmade or homegrown gift brings. A scarf you knitted? Fabulous! Grape jelly from Great Grandma's recipe? Awesome! A cool rock you found in your yard? Fan-freakin'-tastic!

I know what you're thinking though. You can't knit. (I can't.) Your Great Grandma's recipes didn't survive the estate sale. (Mine didn't.) Your yard is rockless. (Mine actually is filled with rocks, but they're too cool to part with just yet. Plus many of them were gifts.)

That's why I thought it might be fun to share a rundown of Those Things I Use Most, in hopes that maybe one of these items might help you in your gift quest for the Nature Loving Nancy or Treehugger Troy on your list.

Hands down the one item I can't live without is something I first requested at the age of 3: Pants with Pockets. Back then my parents came through with a pair of jeans I thought were the bees knees…at first. But soon those two front pockets were filled to overflowing (mainly with rocks) so by age 6 I'd graduated to camp shorts—splendid creations with two sets of front pockets plus back pockets and a little loop for hanging things.

Today though I favor a style of pants I first learned about in a book about tracking wildlife: 5.11 TacLite Pro Ripstop Pants, Style 74273. Designed for law enforcement, they're nonetheless perfect for a naturalist in the field. They're neater in appearance than, say, canvas or denim, and cooler, too, on warm days; plus their generous cut leaves plenty of room for a base layer when the temperature turns cold.

Best of all, they wear like iron. The poly-cotton blend resists stains as well as most forms of sticky plant seeds, including burdock burs. I can push through brambles with nary a scratch and crawl around a bluff or riverbank without tearing a hole in the knees or seat.

Back in the day they came with internal (and removable) knee pads but now they're sold “knee pad ready," which means the official pads are an upcharge. The inside pockets they slide into are still there though, so you could also tuck in the padding of your choice, or just make use of the added protection the pockets themselves provide.

Speaking of pockets…these pants come with eight! Slash pockets, patch pockets; some open, some with Velcro closures. Each one of them holds useful doodads that, coincidentally, make dandy gifts too. The current inventory includes:

Lip Balm—a nice little luxury that prevents chapping but also serves as a handy 2 5/8-in. item that can be used for scale when taking photos of small curiosities.

Cotton Bandanna—conventionally used for wet hands and drippy noses, but also nice for dipping in water to cool off on a hot day. And in case eight pockets aren't enough, a large bandanna can be used to tote newly acquired treasures like fresh berries or mushrooms—harvested with permission of course.

Pen—sometimes a plain old Bic but more often than not a beautiful wooden writing utensil hand-turned by my friend Scott. It fits perfectly in a slot pocket on the right side of the 5.11s and has never, ever fallen out.

Multitool—I can't believe how often I pull this gadget out of its special left-side pocket. It's a Leatherman Flair, an unusual model made for foodies but weirdly useful for nature nerds. The dip spreader is great for digging seedlings and the shrimp fork if perfect for picking at owl pellets and other trailside treasures.

Hobo Knife—in light of the Leatherman this combo knife, fork and spoon might seem redundant. But I use it literally every day for lunch, at work gatherings and with takeout meals. It's easy to clean and has saved me from using, and tossing away, thousands of pieces of plasticware.

Rocks—What can I say? Rocks are cool, and nature nerds love 'em.

Hope you make the most of this Good Natured list and, more important, the time you spend with family and friends. Happy Ho-ho-holidays!

Pam Otto is the outreach ambassador for the St. Charles Park District. She can be reached at potto@stcparks.org.

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