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Plant Study Groups

We currently facilitate three Plant Study Groups at major centres in Alberta. These groups typically run indoors during the fall/winter season, however every one is unique to the membership needs of the area! We are also recruiting presenters and new leaders for study groups in additional locations. Email volunteer@anpc.ab.ca or the contacts below for more information. 

For specific details (topics, presenters) on upcoming Plant Study Group sessions, please see our Events Calendar.

Central Alberta Plant Study Group (Edmonton)

Location:

University of Alberta Herbarium
5th and 6th floors
Biological Sciences Building
(East end – Botany Wing)
Saskatchewan Drive

*Please note that the building is only reliably accessible via the CCUS (eastern) entrance after 6pm.

Parking/Transit:

  • Meter parking along Saskatchewan Drive or Parking Lot E
  • Bike racks on campus
  • LRT/Bus station on campus

Facilitators:

At this group, we host various speakers on topics related to plants, with a focus on Alberta’s native plants. All are welcome – novice to advanced botanists! To be notified of upcoming events, join our mailing list, present at a meeting or RSVP, please contact Diana/Brittney. Note that our study group lectures are generally held in room B521 from 6:30-7:30 PM, while herbarium specimen review occurs in room B613 from 7:30-9:00 PM (the “B” denotes Botany wing). We also try to host some spring & summer vegetation survey events in Edmonton and Area, so join the email list to find out more.

A select list of study group topics is shared below:

DatePresenterTopic
March 26th, 2025Morgan RandallBoreal Wetlands: From classification to delineation, an interactive workshop
February 26th, 2025Beckett StarkDon’t Spray Me! Native Plants that look like Weeds
November 27th, 2024Brittney MillerFrom Macro(field) to Micro(scope) – Learn to ID ten of the most common mosses in Alberta
October 30th, 2024Justine KarstThe decay of the wood-wide web? A reckoning of the structure and function of common mycorrhizal networks in forests
April 24th, 2024Richard Caners, Royal Alberta MuseumThreatened Haller’s Apple Moss (Bartramia halleriana) in Canada
March 27th, 2024Kallum McDonald, University of AlbertaQuiet Conservation: Protecting Micro Natural Areas in the Aspen Parkland Biome
February 28th, 2024Kristen Andersen, ANPC PresidentAlpine Plants Please Stand Up
January 31st, 2024Manna Parseyan, Arnica WildflowersShowcasing Edmonton’s native plants and their vital role in addressing environmental challenges while contributing to biodiversity conservation
November 29th, 2023Kayleen Falkenstein, Edmonton and Area Land TrustBlackburn Homestead Pollinator Garden Presentation
October 25th, 2023Ashley Hillman, University of AlbertaVascular Plant Diversity and Conservation of Hinton’s Beaver Boardwalk
March 29th, 2023Lysandra Pyle, ABMITaxonomy and Ecology of Invasive Grasses in Alberta
March 26th, 2023Diane Haughland, ABMIField trip to Chickakoo Lake Recreation Area
February 22nd, 2023Ashley Hillman, University of AlbertaAlpine Plants in Ontario
January 25th, 2023Kristyn Mayner, ANPC Central DirectorWeird and Wonderful Wetlands
December 14th, 2022Brittney Miller, University of AlbertaTesting Bryophyte Keys
November 30th, 2022Marshall McKenzie, Innotech AlbertaDiscussion: Reclamation Seed Mix Design in Alberta
October 26th, 2022Dr. Jocelyn Hall, Herbarium CuratorThe Colonial legacy of systematics / herbaria and the decolonization of the U of A Vascular Plant Herbarium (ALTA-VP)
July and August 2022Diana Tirlea and Brittney MillerField trips to Mill Creek Ravine
January 2021Diana Tirlea and Brittney MillerField trip to discover winter flora of Edmonton and area

Southern Alberta Plant Study Group (Calgary)

Facilitators:

Location:

University of Calgary Herbarium
Room 13, Biological Sciences Building
507 Campus Drive NW

Parking/Transit:

  • Disembark at the University C-Train station.
  • Please enter by the lower level door on the south side of the building (see map) where an ANPC volunteer will be waiting to let you in (or call the Herbarium on 403-220-5262).
  • Follow the signs to the Herbarium

Dates:

  • October through March
  • First or second Saturday of the month

Time: 1:00 PM

Please join us at the University of Calgary Herbarium for informative presentations, plant study opportunities and open discussions on a range of topics regarding native plants and ecosystems. All are welcome – novice to advanced botanists! For more information and to RSVP, please email and check the ANPC social media accounts for monthly presentation details. Food and drink are not allowed in the Herbarium.

A select list of study group topics is shared below:

DatePresenterTopic
April 5th, 2025Jane Young
Teresa Lynch		Think Spring! Exploring spring native wildflowers
March 1st, 2025Nathan Gill & Kaitlin Mercier, EcoLogic HorticultureEstablishment and Maintenance of Native Plant Communities
February 1st, 2025Bonnie Smith, Herbarium CuratorExploring the donated collection of Isaac Rotstein
December 7th, 2024Emma Shroud, Friends of Fish CreekCreating a native seed bank for Fish Creek Provincial Park
November 2nd, 2024Jane Young
Teresa Lynch		How to press and mount botanical specimens
Woodland Wildflowers
October 5th, 2024Jane Young
Teresa Lynch		Herbaria: Treasure or Burden
Fall Wildflowers
February 3rd, 2024Mattias Natvik, Landscape Architect and Sessional Instructor at University of CalgaryThe Ecological Restoration of Grasslands
January 20th, 2024Jon Kozak, City of Calgary Urban Forester and ANPC Southern DirectorExploring Urban Forestry in Relation to Calgary and the Surrounding Region
December 2nd, 2023Blake McNeil, Alberta Native Plant RescuePlant salvage projects around Alberta
Brenna Pavan, Alberta Invasive Species CouncilAlberta’s invasive species and how you – the citizen scientist – can contribute
November 4th, 2023Teresa Lynch, Head GardenerThe History and Genesis of the Birth Place Forest and Gardens of the Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs
October 14th, 2023Christine Costello, Alberta Mycological SocietyA Fantastic Foray into Fungi
Plant Study Group LeadsHow was your Field Season? A presentation and discussion.
April 29th, 2023Justine Doll, University of CalgaryInvestigating the Relationship Between Native/Non-native Plants and Pollinators in Calgary
Cristopher Albor, University of CalgaryGenetics Behind Invasiveness, Rarity, and Extinction Risk in the Canadian Flora
March 25th, 2023Natalie Zardecki, University of CalgaryAccurate Early Prediction of Leafy Spurge Invasion Using Species Distribution Models (SDM) in Alberta
Sandra Davis, ANPC VolunteerBotany Alberta Events and the St Patrick Island Bioblitz
Sarah Neville, ANPC VolunteerThe ANPC Pollinator Garden Challenge

Peace River Plant Study Group

Facilitators:

Location:

NAIT Centre for Boreal Research
8102 – 99 Avenue
Peace River, AB
(Beside Northern Lakes College).

Parking/Transit:

  • Free in front of the building

Dates:

  • Year-round
  • First Thursday of the month

Time: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

This group meets indoors Oct – May for presentations, discussions, and hands on activities about Alberta native plants and ecosystems. Summer meetups (June – Sept) are spent outdoors exploring the beautiful Peace River area. All nature enthusiasts are welcome. Drop in or email Melanie to join our distribution list about upcoming events. Snacks and drinks are allowed in the facility.

DateTopic
March 2025Horsing Around With Horsetails!
February 2025Wintergreen – so much more than mouthwash! Shining a spotlight on the wintergreens of AB (repeat due to low attendance in Oct)
January 2025Inspirational plant reads: Exploring ecology/environmental/plant books that sparked our interest in native plants and the environment
December 2024Oh Christmas Tree! An exploration of conifer tree species in Alberta
November 2024Native Species Spooktacular – spooky, scary and poisonous plants of Alberta
October 2024Wintergreen – so much more than mouthwash! Shining a spotlight on the wintergreens of Alberta
July 2024Wilderness Park – plant walk
June 2024Twelve Foot Daivs Gravesite – plant walk
May 2024Misery Mountain – plant walk
April 2024Wild about Wildflowers… with an encore to Mosses
March 20242023 Floreani Floristics – Interesting finds of the Peace Region
February 2024Birch, Please! Birches of Northern Alberta

Other Groups Requiring Volunteer Coordinators

Grande Prairie Plant Study Group

  • TBA

Northern Plant and Ecology Study Group (NPESG; Fort McMurray)

  • TBA

Medicine Hat Plant Study Group

  • No longer active.

Interested in coordinating a Plant Study Group in your local area? Reach out to us at Volunteer@anpc.ab.ca.