anpc.ab.ca

The Alberta Native Plant Council (ANPC) publishes recommended plant lists organized by natural region, and the entry point is the "Recommended Plant Lists by Natural Region" resource on anpc.ab.ca. ANPC describes it as a new resource built to help people choose appropriate species for a native plant garden, presented as a Storymap with recommendations for the species best adapted to each of Alberta's natural regions. If your goal is picking species that will actually thrive where you live, start with the list for your region rather than a generic wildflower mix.

How the regional lists are organized

ANPC's approach is regional, not one-size-fits-all. Alberta spans sharply different natural regions — grassland, parkland, boreal, foothills, Rocky Mountain, and others — and a species adapted to one may fail or behave aggressively in another. The Storymap format lets you move through regions and see recommended species for each.

Because the recommendations are tied to natural regions, the first practical step is identifying which region your garden or project sits in. If you are unsure, Alberta's natural region boundaries are widely mapped, and your local municipality or land trust can usually confirm it.

What else ANPC offers for species selection

The regional plant lists are one part of a broader set of resources listed on the site. Together they cover the full path from choosing a species to sourcing and growing it:

For a garden project, a sensible sequence is: confirm your natural region, pull the recommended species for it, check the source list for suppliers, and use the seed-growing guide if you plan to start plants yourself.

Where to look for deeper botanical detail

If you need identification keys, distribution maps, or rarity information beyond garden selection, ANPC points to several publications:

• The Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta, 2nd Edition — available for purchase through UBC Press.
• Vascular Flora of Alberta: An Illustrated Guide, 2nd Edition — paperback or e-book through Amazon.ca, with illustrated keys to all native and naturalized vascular plants in Alberta.
• Vascular Flora of Alberta: Illustrations and Maps — a companion resource with enhanced illustrations and maps, also through Amazon.ca.
• Wildflowers of Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park — available through ANPC.

These are reference works rather than planting lists, so use them when you need to confirm an identification or check whether a species is native, naturalized, or rare in the province.

A note on why regional matching matters

ANPC's stated purpose is sharing knowledge and supporting conservation of native plants and native plant habitat in Alberta. That framing explains the regional structure: planting a species outside its adapted region can mean poor survival, wasted effort, or unintended spread. The site also documents conservation work, such as a Storymap on rare plant occurrences within proposed coal mine footprints in the eastern slopes and ANPC's 2026 submission to the Municipal District of Taber regarding a proposal to convert roughly 3,100 acres of native grassland to irrigated cropland. Those items are not planting guides, but they show the same principle in practice — location-specific plant communities are treated as distinct and worth protecting.

Getting involved or staying informed

ANPC lists several ways to participate: volunteering, donating, joining, and activities including a Small Grants Program, webinars, plant study groups, workshops, Botany Alberta, and a Native Plant Garden Challenge. These are useful if you want feedback on plant selection or want to see how others have applied the regional lists.

The Alberta Native Plant Council (ANPC) publishes and distributes several rare plant and flora references, most of which can be purchased or ordered through external retailers or directly from the Council. The main titles are The Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta, 2nd Edition, Vascular Flora of Alberta: An Illustrated Guide, 2nd Edition, its companion Vascular Flora of Alberta: Illustrations and Maps, and Wildflowers of Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park. Availability and purchase channels differ by title, so check each one before ordering.

Rare Plant and Flora Publications

The two Vascular Flora of Alberta volumes work as a set: the illustrated guide provides the identification keys, while the illustrations and maps volume supplements those keys with enhanced visuals and distribution maps. If you are identifying plants in the field or a herbarium, the pair is more useful together than either alone.

Rare Plant Storymaps and Online Resources

Beyond books, ANPC hosts online resources relevant to rare plant documentation:

• Rare Plants within Coal Leases of the Eastern Slopes of Alberta — a storymap compiled by ANPC volunteers documenting known rare plant occurrences within proposed coal mine footprints in the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains.
• Recommended Plant Lists by Natural Region — a storymap with species recommendations adapted to each of Alberta's natural regions, aimed at native plant gardening.
• Alberta Wetland Plant List — a plant list resource for wetland species.
• Native Plant Source List — available in both Excel and PDF formats.
• Native Plant Suppliers and Demonstration Bed Interactive Map — for locating suppliers and demonstration plantings.

These are hosted on the ANPC website and are generally accessible without a purchase, though some may require navigating to a linked storymap platform.

Conservation and Advocacy Materials

ANPC also produces materials tied to specific conservation cases. One example is the information the Council provided in March 2026 to the Municipal District of Taber regarding a proposal to convert approximately 3,100 acres of native grassland into irrigated cropland. This kind of material is not a formal publication but is part of ANPC's advocacy and stewardship output, and it illustrates how the Council applies its botanical expertise to land-use decisions.

How to Decide What You Need

• For identifying plants in Alberta — start with Vascular Flora of Alberta: An Illustrated Guide, 2nd Edition, and add the Illustrations and Maps companion if you need visual and distribution detail.
• For rare species specifically — The Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta, 2nd Edition is the dedicated reference.
• For a specific park — Wildflowers of Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park covers that area only.
• For free, current information — the storymaps (rare plants in coal lease areas, recommended plant lists by natural region) and the wetland plant list are the most accessible starting points.

Purchase links and ordering details for each title are listed on the ANPC website's publications section; the Council notes that The Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta can be ordered through UBC Press, while the Vascular Flora titles go through Amazon.ca.

The Alberta Native Plant Council (ANPC) is currently involved in at least two active conservation files: documenting rare plants within proposed coal mine footprints on the Eastern Slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains, and responding to a proposed conversion of native grassland in the Municipal District (MD) of Taber. Beyond these specific cases, ANPC describes its overall work as sharing knowledge and supporting the conservation of native plants and native plant habitat in Alberta through outreach, publications and guidelines, stewardship, advocacy, research, and funding and implementing native plant projects.

Documenting Rare Plants in Coal Lease Areas

ANPC volunteers compiled a storymap that documents known rare plant occurrences within proposed coal mine footprints of the Eastern Slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains. According to the organization, the purpose is to help provide a voice to these rare plants.

This is a documentation and advocacy effort rather than a regulatory decision: ANPC is gathering and presenting occurrence data so that rare plant populations are visible in discussions about coal development in the region. If you want to see which species and locations are involved, the storymap is the primary resource to review.

Responding to Grassland Conversion in MD Taber

In March 2026, ANPC provided information to the Municipal District of Taber, which was considering a proposal to convert approximately 3,100 acres of native grassland into irrigated cropland. The organization notes that the project was initially approved.

ANPC's role here was to supply information to the municipal district during its consideration of the proposal. This illustrates how the organization engages with local land-use decisions that affect native plant habitat, rather than only publishing educational material.

How This Fits ANPC's Broader Advocacy Approach

These two cases reflect the range of tools ANPC uses. Its stated activities include:

• Outreach — sharing knowledge with the public and decision-makers
• Publications and guidelines — producing reference materials on native plants
• Stewardship — on-the-ground care for native plant habitat
• Advocacy — engaging on specific land-use and development proposals
• Research — supporting and conducting study of native flora
• Funding and implementing native plant projects — supporting work directly

The coal lease storymap sits at the intersection of research, publications, and advocacy. The MD Taber response is primarily advocacy and outreach to a local government.

Where to Follow Current Conservation News

ANPC's Featured News and Events section is where these items appear, alongside other current developments. It is the most direct place to check for new conservation issues the organization is tracking or responding to.

If your interest is in a specific file — for example, coal development on the Eastern Slopes or grassland conversion near Taber — the relevant news item is the starting point, and the linked storymap or submission materials provide the underlying detail.

The Alberta Native Plant Council (ANPC) offers several ways to participate, depending on whether you want to volunteer your time, apply for funding, attend educational events, or use its native plant resources. The main entry points on anpc.ab.ca are Join Us, Volunteer, and Donate, with specific programs listed under Featured Activities and Featured Resources. Below is a practical guide to each option and what it involves.

Membership, Volunteering, and Donations

ANPC describes its work as sharing knowledge and supporting the conservation of native plants and native plant habitat in Alberta through outreach, publications and guidelines, stewardship, advocacy, research, and funding and implementing native plant projects.

• Join Us — the membership entry point on the site.
• Volunteer — for those who want to contribute time to ANPC's work.
• Donate — for those who want to support the organization financially.

These three actions appear as primary calls to action on the homepage, so they are the fastest route if your goal is simply to become a member or supporter.

Featured Activities You Can Take Part In

ANPC lists the following under Featured Activities:

If you are looking for funding for a project, the Small Grants Program is the relevant entry. If you want to learn or build skills, webinars, workshops, and plant study groups are the options to check. The Native Plant Garden Challenge suits people working on their own native plant garden.

Featured Resources for Native Plant Projects

ANPC's Featured Resources include practical materials you can use directly:

• Growing Native Plants from Seeds
• Native Plant Source List – Excel
• Native Plant Source List – PDF
• Alberta Wetland Plant List
• Native Plant Suppliers and Demonstration Bed Interactive Map

The Native Plant Source List (in Excel or PDF) and the Native Plant Suppliers and Demonstration Bed Interactive Map are the most useful starting points if you need to find where to obtain native plants or see demonstration plantings. The Alberta Wetland Plant List is relevant if your project involves wetland species.

ANPC has also released Recommended Plant Lists by Natural Region, a resource to help with appropriate plant selection for a native plant garden, presented as a Storymap with recommendations for species best adapted to each of Alberta's natural regions.

Publications Available from ANPC

If your involvement includes reference material, ANPC points to these publications:

• The Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta, 2nd Edition — available for purchase, ordered through UBC Press.
• Vascular Flora of Alberta: An Illustrated Guide, 2nd Edition — available as a paperback or e-book through Amazon.ca, with illustrated keys to all native and naturalized vascular plants in Alberta.
• Vascular Flora of Alberta: Illustrations and Maps — an accompanying resource to the keys, with enhanced illustrations and maps, available through Amazon.ca.
• Wildflowers of Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park — available through the Alberta Native Plant Council.

Staying Current: News and Events

The Featured News and Events section is where ANPC posts current projects and issues. Examples currently highlighted include:

• Rare Plants within Coal Leases of the Eastern Slopes of Alberta — a Storymap compiled by ANPC volunteers documenting known rare plant occurrences within proposed coal mine footprints in the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains.
• Recommended Plant Lists by Natural Region — the new plant selection resource described above.
• Proposed Grassland Conversion in MD Taber — in March 2026, ANPC provided information to the Municipal District of Taber regarding a proposal to convert approximately 3,100 acres of native grassland into irrigated cropland.

These items show the kind of advocacy and research work ANPC engages in, and they are a good way to see where volunteer or member involvement may be needed.

A Note on ANPC's Mandate

ANPC acknowledges that what is called Alberta is the traditional and ancestral territory of many peoples, presently subject to Treaties 6, 7, and 8, including the Blackfoot Confederacy (Kainai, Piikani, and Siksika), the Cree, Dene, Saulteaux, Nakota Sioux, Stoney Nakoda, and the Tsuut'ina Nation, and the Métis People of Alberta. This context is part of how the organization frames its conservation work.

Quick Decision Guide

• Want to support ANPC financially or become a member? Use Join Us, Volunteer, or Donate.
• Need funding for a native plant project? Look at the Small Grants Program.
• Want to learn? Check Webinars, Workshops, and Plant Study Groups.
• Planning a native plant garden? Start with Recommended Plant Lists by Natural Region, then the Native Plant Source List and the Suppliers and Demonstration Bed Interactive Map.
• Need reference books? See the publications list above for ordering details.
• Want to follow current issues? Read Featured News and Events.

anpc.ab.ca is the website of the Alberta Native Plant Council, an organization that shares knowledge and supports the conservation of native plants and native plant habitat in Alberta. It is useful if you want to learn about Alberta's native flora, find native plant sources and growing guidance, access plant lists and publications, or get involved through volunteering, donating, or participating in events and projects.

What the organization does

ANPC describes its work as spanning several connected areas:

• Outreach — sharing knowledge with the public
• Publications and guidelines — producing reference materials on native plants
• Stewardship — practical care for native plants and habitat
• Advocacy — providing information on issues affecting native plant habitat
• Research — supporting and compiling knowledge about native species
• Funding and implementing native plant projects

Resources available on the site

The site organizes its public resources into a few main categories.

Growing and selecting native plants

• Recommended Plant Lists by Natural Region — a resource to help with plant selection for native plant gardens, presented as a Storymap with recommendations for species best adapted to each of Alberta's natural regions
• Growing Native Plants from Seeds
• Native Plant Garden Challenge

Plant lists and source directories

• Native Plant Source List — available in Excel and PDF formats
• Alberta Wetland Plant List
• Native Plant Suppliers and Demonstration Bed Interactive Map

Publications

• The Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta, 2nd Edition — available for purchase through UBC Press
• Vascular Flora of Alberta: An Illustrated Guide, 2nd Edition — paperback or e-book through Amazon.ca, with illustrated keys to all native and naturalized vascular plants in Alberta
• Vascular Flora of Alberta: Illustrations and Maps — a companion resource with enhanced illustrations and maps, available through Amazon.ca
• Wildflowers of Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park — available through the Alberta Native Plant Council

Featured news and projects

The site highlights current work, including a Storymap compiled by ANPC volunteers documenting known rare plant occurrences within proposed coal mine footprints in the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains, and information ANPC provided to the Municipal District of Taber regarding a proposal to convert approximately 3,100 acres of native grassland into irrigated cropland.

Activities you can take part in

• Small Grants Program
• Webinars
• Plant Study Groups
• Workshops
• Botany Alberta

How to get involved

The site offers three direct ways to participate: Join Us, Volunteer, and Donate. These appear alongside the featured activities and resources, so you can move from learning about native plants to contributing to their conservation.

Who this site is for

The ANPC website is most relevant if you:

• Garden with native plants in Alberta and need region-specific species recommendations
• Are looking for suppliers of native plants or seed
• Want reference publications on Alberta's vascular flora or rare plants
• Are interested in volunteering, applying for a small grant, or attending webinars and study groups
• Want to follow conservation issues affecting native plant habitat in the province

The organization also acknowledges that what is called Alberta is the traditional and ancestral territory of many peoples, presently subject to Treaties 6, 7, and 8, including the Blackfoot Confederacy (Kainai, Piikani, and Siksika), the Cree, Dene, Saulteaux, Nakota Sioux, Stoney Nakoda, and the Tsuut'ina Nation, and the Métis People of Alberta.