How to Join Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society Field Trips or Become a Member

The Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society (NSWFS) is a naturalist organization focused on the wild flora of Nova Scotia. You can get involved in two main ways: joining as a member through the Membership page on nswildflora.ca, and participating in field trips listed under the Programme and Field Trips sections of the site. Field trips are announced with specific dates and locations, and some events—like partner courses—require separate registration and may fill up. Because trip status can change (the site notes cancellations and confirmations), check the latest posts before heading out.

Becoming a Member

The website has a dedicated Membership page in its main navigation. That page is the authoritative source for current membership details, including any fees, application steps, and what membership includes.

To join:

1. Go to nswildflora.ca.
2. Open the Membership page from the main menu.
3. Follow the instructions there to sign up.

The site also links to a Facebook page, which the society uses alongside the website for updates and contact. If the Membership page doesn't answer a specific question, the Facebook page is a reasonable secondary channel.

Joining Field Trips

Field trips are organized under the Programme and Field Trips areas of the site, with a Field Trip Archive for past outings. Announcements typically include:

• The date and location
• Whether the trip is confirmed or cancelled
• Any follow-up notes or changes

Examples from the site's news feed show how this works in practice:

The takeaway: trip status is not static. A trip listed as proposed or scheduled can be cancelled or confirmed later, so read the most recent post about a given trip rather than relying on an older listing.

What to Check Before a Trip

• Latest post for that specific trip — look for "on," "cancelled," or rescheduled language.
• Date and meeting details — confirm they match your plans.
• Any registration requirement — some events are run by partner organizations and need separate sign-up (see below).

Partner Courses and Events That Require Registration

Not everything on the site is an NSWFS field trip. The society also posts notices about external programs, such as the Nova Scotia Museum's Natural History Field School. One example on the site:

• "Introduction to Lichens" course, November 9–13, 2026, in Halifax, offered by the Nova Scotia Museum's Natural History Field School.
• Registration opened a couple of weeks before the post; the course was filling up, with about 10 spots left at the time of writing.

This illustrates an important distinction: for partner-run courses, you register through the offering organization, not through NSWFS, and spots may be limited. If a course or seminar interests you, register early rather than assuming you can join later.

The site also references other external seminars and field courses (for example, Eagle Hill seminars and an Acadia University flora field course), which follow the same pattern—separate registration, separate organizer.

Other Resources on the Site

Beyond trips and membership, nswildflora.ca hosts material useful to anyone getting involved:

• Publications — articles and presentations, including on lichens and bryophytes.
• Reference Literature — guides and keys, such as identifying Carex Sect. Ovales.
• Flora of Nova Scotia and Gardening with Native Plants pages.
• iNaturalist resources, including hints on using iNaturalist to ID species and an NSWFS project on iNaturalist.
• Conservation/Species at Risk and Invasive Species sections.

These are useful for building background knowledge before or between field trips.

Practical Tips

• Check the site's news feed regularly. Trip confirmations and cancellations appear as dated posts, and the newest post wins.
• Don't assume a listed trip is happening. The Cape Breton cancellation shows that even announced trips can be called off.
• For courses, register through the organizer. NSWFS posts the notice; the museum or institute runs the sign-up.
• Use Facebook as a supplement, not a replacement, for the website's Membership and Programme pages.

If your goal is simply to show up on a walk, start with the Programme and Field Trips pages and read the most recent post for the trip you're interested in. If your goal is ongoing involvement, the Membership page is the place to begin.