Nature Alberta was formed in 1970 when the leaders of six local natural history clubs joined together to create a provincial federation of naturalists – Nature Alberta (formerly known as the Federation of Alberta Naturalists). We are grateful to those original six for their wisdom and insight which brought nature clubs from across the province together under one common umbrella and established the foundation for what we have become.
Today we are proud to call nearly 40 naturalist clubs our members. Individuals from the various clubs serve Nature Alberta in many ways. They are members on the Nature Alberta Board of Directors, committee members on various ad hoc committees, volunteers at various Nature Alberta fundraisers, participants in Nature Alberta events and programs, and much more.
In this regular feature, we introduce you to our current member clubs, giving you an opportunity to get to know more about the organizations and people who make Nature Alberta special.
The Alberta Native Plant Council (ANPC) is a dedicated group of volunteers who work to educate individuals, industry, and government about native plants, encourage appropriate use of Alberta’s native plants and preserve natural habitats and plant communities. Nature Alberta is proud to have the ANPC as a member club.
With Alberta’s large mammals and imposing mountains, it may be easy to overlook the beautiful and dazzling world of plants. But the ANPC works hard to ensure Albertans have the tools and resources available to learn more about and appreciate Alberta’s native flora.
The ANPC hosts field trips, offers small-scale grants, conducts conservation projects and is active in education via their newsletters, publications, plant study groups and workshops. All of this helps to achieve their mission of encouraging stewardship of Alberta’s native plants. Please visit their website to learn more, apply for a grant, volunteer or browse their resources.
The ANPC is in the process of updating their Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta publication. If you’re an avid botanist, naturalist or photographer and have plant photos to share, please visit the ANPC website for more information and instructions on how to participate.
Photo credit D. Schlemko.
