Plants and Fungi
Alberta’s Peatlands
BY TINA MCLEAN AND JAY WHITE
Peatlands comprise 90% of Alberta’s wetlands. Get a closer look at their composition, variety, and ecological importance.
Read MoreSand Dune Plant Communities of Northern Alberta
You don’t have to go out of this world to explore dunes — Alberta’s own sand dunes are home to remarkable plant communities!
Read MoreThe alien invasion: Protecting Alberta’s native plants from the ever-pressing threat of invasive species!
Recorded Presentation
Speaker: Megan Evans
Host: Alberta Native Plant Council
For the Love of Lichens
There’s lots to love about lichens! Meet some of Alberta’s most colourful examples of these fascinating amalgam organisms.
Read MoreBad But Beautiful
BY LORNA ALLEN
The Lakota people called them “mako sica,” or “bad lands.” French trappers and traders had the same opinion and called them “les mauvaises terres à traverser” — “bad lands to cross.” Since then, the term “badlands” has stuck.
Growing a Garden
Watch your garden grow… underground!
Read MoreJourney of a Seed
Follow these steps to test the germination rate of your seeds to decide how many seeds to plant.
Read MoreWhat Lies Beneath: The Hidden Life of Fungi
BY HEATHER ADDY
Fungi are often overlooked because many of them spend much of their lives hidden from us, and out of sight means out of mind. While all fungi share certain features, these organisms display remarkable diversity. Here, we’ll focus on fungi that form mushrooms and other large, complex fruiting bodies.
Read MoreOn the Trail of Disjunct Alpine Plants from Alberta to Ontario
BY ASHLEY HILLMAN
It’s Day 4 on the trail. It’s humid, hot, and did I mention humid? Our packs are impossibly heavy with food, camping gear, and sampling equipment. I wish there was someone else to blame for deciding to mix backpacking with field sampling, but unfortunately it was my idea. I have already cut myself on a rock and slipped into the frigid waters of Lake Superior as we struggle down the coastal hiking trail of Pukaskwa National Park. But all this suffering has rewarded us with just what we were looking for: plants!
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