These events are part of the province-wide May Species Count and are supported by both Nature Alberta and the ANPC, with the emphasis on tracking the flowering stage of vascular plants. For more information, go here: May Plant Count
1. May 25, 2025 Clyde Fen May Plant Count
Located just minutes outside of Clyde, AB, this event is part of ANPC’s ongoing stewardship of Clyde Fen Candidate Natural Area: https://anpc.ab.ca/?page_id=820#clyde. Spend your day meandering through diverse habitats including aspen and pine stands as well as a shrubby, patterned fen which is the southernmost site of carnivorous pitcher plants in Alberta. We will be recording flowering plant species using the iNaturalist app. We often record over 50 species!
Please bring rubber boots, pack a lunch, and prepare for a full day outdoors. We’ll meet at 9 AM on Sunday, May 25, at the Percy Page Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. Carpooling options are available. Participants should stay home if feeling unwell. RSVP to anpc.clydefen@gmail.com, though last-minute attendees are also welcome.
2. May 25, 2025 Kleskun Hill Provincial Park & Natural Area May Plant Count
Located east of Grande Prairie, AB, we will be surveying Kleskun Hill Provincial Park and Natural Area beginning at 10:00 AM in the main parking lot near the entrance to the park. Please come prepared with sturdy footwear, appropriate clothing for changing weather, and brisk prairie winds! We will be spending the better part of the day out there, so pack a lunch and water, however participants are free to depart at any time. The site features a mix of sites from aspen stands to true Peace Parkland grassland ecosystems.
To RSVP, please contact Trevor at floreani.trevor@gmail.com.
3. May 31, 2025 Boreal Wetland Centre May Plant Count
Meet us at the Boreal Wetland Centre in Evergreen Park, south of Grande Prairie at 10:00 AM. Rubber boots are recommended for this foray unless you don’t mind getting your feet wet. Again, please be prepared for the weather conditions and bring snacks and a lunch if you plan to spend the morning and afternoon on site. There are a mix of mixedwood forest, swamp and peatland sites to look for a variety of plant species.
To RSVP, please contact Trevor at floreani.trevor@gmail.com.
4. May 25, 2025 Flewwelling Ranch (Part of ANPC Workshop Field Trip near Red Deer)
This year’s workshop will include a field trip and plant count at Flewwelling Ranch, May 25 from 9:30-12:30. For more information, please contact Eileen Ford – hh3@telusplanet.net.
5. Six Mile Coulee (Lethbridge)
Date and time TBD closer to the last week of May. For information on being included in the count, please contact Pat Greenlee: pgreenlee@telus.net.
6. Nose Hill Park (Calgary)
On May 24th, the Alberta Wilderness Association are hosting a guided flower walk through Nose Hill Park, co-led by ANPC volunteer Steven Tannas. Although this is not an official plant count event, we invite you to attend and submit observations! https://albertawilderness.ca/product/adventure-for-wilderness-geology-and-nature/
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is also holding three May Plant Count walks across Alberta:
Warren Property, Central Alberta – May 29: NCC: Where We Work – Alberta – Wildflower Walk at Warren
Campbell Property, Beaver Hills – May 30 NCC: Where We Work – Alberta – Beaver Hills in Bloom
Yarrow Property, SW Alberta – May 30 NCC: Where We Work – Alberta – Wildflower Fields Forever
There are a couple of ways to get involved – May Plant Count – Nature Alberta:
- iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started)
- For those who are into the tech, you can submit observations right in the field through the iNaturalist mobile app. Refer to our iNat Quick Guide (attached) for more details on how to join the Alberta May Plant Count project!
- You are also able to submit observations through your desktop on the iNaturalist website: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/alberta-may-plant-count. This method is particularly useful if you are submitting more than 4 photos for an observation. Also keep in mind that the photo of the plant does not need to reflect the overall phenology score you give it, it is mainly for identification purposes, so make sure you have good photos that show multiple plant parts: flowers (front, side, underneath for Asters!), leaves, fruit (if present), overall plant form, etc.
- Submitting Data Sheets
- The tried and true method is still accepted. You can email us your filled out data sheets (see attached sheets, either scanned copies or electronic excel sheets are accepted) or send us a scribbled-up napkin, we don’t mind. Feel free to use your own data sheets and send them our way as well.
We ask that all data be submitted by June 30th 2025!
Plant ID Guides
- Books: Lone Pine plant guides, such as the Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Parkland, Alberta Wayside Wildflowers, Plants of Alberta etc.; Vascular Flora of Alberta: An Illustrated Guide.
- Apps: Alberta Wildflowers, iNaturalist, Picture This
Note: the collection of plant specimens is not allowed in any protected or restricted areas. Collection of plants is discouraged unless participants have acquired the necessary permits and are competent with plant collection protocols. Visit the Alberta Native Plant Council (ANPC) website (www.anpc.ab.ca) for guidelines on ethical plant collecting. To confirm identification, take photographs and make notes and/or drawings.