A big bow on top

You’ve seen the TV ads. The one where you give an expensive car as a holiday present and it’s too big to wrap, so you put a big bow on top and drive it out among the evergreens with snow falling. Well, there are some large gifts ACES Allies bring to Greater Newburyport we want to place under your trees in the snow.

We need to put a big bow on these gifts in our area that are in the “too big to wrap” category. Greenbelt, The Trustees, the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, the Great Marsh Coalition and Farmer John at Maple Crest Farm who all bring us open spaces to roam, marshes to explore trees and gardens, art and history preserved.

These stewards of land and other natural resources protect and share the Massachusetts places people love for their exceptional scenic, historic and ecological value.

We’ll need lots of ribbon to wrap some of these gifts. Ribbons like all the rivers and wonderful trails advocated for and supported by other steward organizations.

The Parker River Clean Water Association, The Ipswich River Watershed Association and The Merrimack River Watershed Council are all striving to have clean and healthy waters. The Coastal Trails Coalition, which is composed of citizens and communities in the Lower Merrimack Valley who work together to advocate for and develop the Coastal Trails Network, a public system of interconnected bicycle and pedestrian trails that is enhancing local recreation, conservation, education and tourism opportunities.

Like the Riverwalk in Amesbury, and the Ghost Trail in Salisbury, and others that provide environmentally sound responsible ways to live our lives in the Seacoast.

Over in the kid’s corner under the tree, we’d like to thank those rising teenagers at the Newburyport High School Environmental and Interact clubs who bring us the gifts of their activism and leadership, and who will do even more as they leave for colleges and careers. They are a smart and committed generation and we can take climate solace in the knowledge that there is a new generation that cares and is working for a healthier Earth.

We look toward the trees and hanging from the edges of green branches are beautiful ornaments like Audubon’s bird miniatures, GOMI’s seashell pendants, driftwood upcycled into charms at Tinkerhaus, handmade origami animals from the kids at Merrohawke, and sea glass “butterflies” by Pollinator PowerWorks folks.

Bells are ringing at the front door; you open it and it is a choir of clear and strong women-led voices singing holiday cheer and a new year. Women in Action Huddle, Forever Green NBPT and Climate Cafe’. Maybe, you want to add your voices too?

Outdoors, Uncle Sam has preserved for us a big present from all the parties that comprise the Great Marsh Coalition, including the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

It’s decorated with colorful birds, hollies and red berries throughout the year. It’s especially beautiful during the winter season as a sparkling sea and maybe snowy owls and eagles fly by. Bring your kids out there for a gift of nature up close and lovely on one of the premier birding spots in the world!

We have many big gifts to celebrate locally and ACES would like to thank all of those gift givers — ACES Allies — who make our lives happier, healthier, and we urge you to support them and we want to wish you all Happy New Year 2023.

‍