The North American Native Plant Society (NANPS) is a volunteer-operated registered

charitable organization A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ...

concerned with conserving

native plant In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is eq ...

s in wild areas and restoring indigenous flora to developed areas. It is noted for its work in educating business and the public about the benefits of using native plants, and its work in promoting native species through plant sales and seed exchanges has been credited with the resurgence of some species. It also maintains a list of local native plant societies across the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

Current activities

NANPS is dedicated to the Study, Conservation, Cultivation & Restoration of North America's Native Flora. NANPS's key purpose is to provide information and to inspire an appreciation of native plants with an aim to restoring healthy

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...

s across the continent. To that end, NANPS currently: * publishes a 16-page quarterly newsletter, ''The Blazing Star'' (ISSN 2291-8280), and an e-newsletter, ''The Local Scoop'' * provides a forum for people interested in learning more about native plants * creates information sheets, booklets and brochures on a variety of related topics * manages two conservation properties in

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

and works to restore ecosystems * provides a native

seed exchange Seed swaps are events where gardeners meet to exchange seeds. Swapping can be arranged online or by mail, especially when participants are spread out geographically. Swap meet events, where growers meet and exchange their excess seeds in person ...

available to NANPS members * staffs information booths at a variety of public events * offers guided excursions to natural areas * operates Canada's largest native plant sale each May followed by a number of smaller sales from June to October * maintains a searchable Native Plant Database, and a list of commercial growers who meet its ethical guidelines * provides support to people adding native plants in urban/

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separ ...

an areas * creates and presents information to

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

and interested groups on the benefits of native plants * hosts a variety of seminars and workshops, culminating in an Annual General Meeting, plant sale, and awards presentation each October

Logo

The logo was designed in 1994 by Beth McEachen. It is a woodcut portraying three native plants representing three transcontinental, native families, viz: Araceae, Orchidaceae, Iridaceae. The examples shown are an arum, a cypripedium and a

blue-eyed grass ''Sisyrinchium'' is a large genus of annual to perennial flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. Native to the New World, the species are known as blue-eyed grasses and, though not true grasses and in varieties with flower colors other than ...

History

NANPS was founded in 1985 by a small group of

conservationists The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental, and social movement that seeks to manage and protect natural resources, including animal, fungus, and plant species as well as their habitat for the ...

as the Canadian Wildflower Society.Wildflower Magazine, 1(1):5 (The name was later changed to the North American Native Plant Society to reflect a wider range of activities and broader membership.) In 1985, the Society began publishing their well-received native plant magazine, ''Wildflower'', under the editorship of James L. Hodgins. In 1985 it also established a gardening Code of Ethics for its members. In 1986, it sponsored its first public annual native plant sale and filed a letters patent. In 1988, it sponsored its first native plant propagation workshop, and established wildflower gardens tour in

Guelph Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Highway 6, Highway 7 and Wel ...

and

Waterloo, Ontario Waterloo is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is one of three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (formerly Waterloo County). Waterloo is situated about west-southwest of Toronto. Due to the close proximity of the ci ...

, Canada. By 1993, it purchased a 50-acre Carolinian woodlot known as Shining Tree Woods near Cultus, Ontario, to conserve the nationally rare native cucumber tree, '' Magnolia acuminata''.Wildflower Magazine, 10(1):11 In 1994, the Canadian Wildflowe Society co-published (with the Federation of Ontario Naturalists) the first booklet on the native plants of Carolinian Canada with conservation and horticultural advice. The Canadian Wildflower Society changed its name to the North American Native Plant Society (NANPS) in 1998.Wildflower Magazine, 15(2):3 In 2003, it purchased a five-hectare (13-acre) parcel of Zinkan Island Cove, a provincially designated ANSI (Area of Natural and Scientific Interest) on the

Bruce Peninsula The Bruce Peninsula is a peninsula in Ontario, Canada, that divides Georgian Bay of Lake Huron from the lake's main basin. The peninsula extends roughly northwestwards from the rest of Southwestern Ontario, pointing towards Manitoulin Island, ...

in Ontario. In 2000 the North American Native Plant Society decided to stop supporting the publication of ''Wildflower'' magazine, and replaced it with "''The Blazing Star. ''Wildflower'' was published independently, but eventually ceased publication in 2004. In 2005, NANPS began conducting regular seminars around Ontario, and formed partnerships with Toronto Botanical Garden and the City of Markham City of Markham Markham Environmental Stability Fund
Also, a NANPS member founded an e-newsletter
The Local Scoop
In 2010, NANPS celebrated its 25th anniversary by publishing a special edition of ''The Blazing Star''. NANPS founder and Honorary President, James A French, published ''Silver Memories'', a personal recollection of the first 25 years.Silver Memories Pub by Bulletins Plus, Lakefield ON In 2013 the Society campaigned for a native plant garden as part of the renewal of Ontario Place.

References

External links

Official North American Native Plant Society (NANPS) website

Official NANPS Facebook

Official NANPS Twitter

NANPS e-newsletter: ''The Local Scoop'' website
{{authority control Native plant societies Environmental organizations based in Ontario International environmental organizations Non-profit organizations based in Toronto Environmental organizations established in 1985 1985 establishments in Ontario