Hike to see Western Skunk Cabbage, Friday May 9

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Near Uisge Bàn Falls Provincial Park there is a large colony (over 400 plants) of Western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus). No one knows how it got there, though I heard one credible tale that a Swiss couple living in the remote region over 100 years ago may have introduced it  as a garden plant. The next nearest natural occurence on iNaturalist is in Montana, nearly 4700km away – although there is one occurence escaped from cultivation near Economy, NS and a couple in the Northeast US.

NSWFS Jeff White and Bethsheila Kent will be leading a hike to see these plants in the afternoon of Friday May 9. The location is outside of Baddeck, Cape Breton. If you wish to participate in this hike, please contact Bethsheila Kent directly mombird48@gmail.com. She can recommend accommodation in the area if you wish to stay overnight. Check with Bethsheila first, but I believe it is a fairly easy walk to the site.

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Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society Annual General Meeting – Monday, Apr. 28 at the Museum

Posted on April 24, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

 

Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis and Trailing Arbutus or Mayflower Epigaea repens

Our 2025 AGM will take place at the Museum of Natural History at 1747 Summer Street on Monday Apr 28 at 7:30pm. It will also be simultaneously streamed on Zoom.

If you are a NSWFS member, you should receive an email zoom invitation with attached agenda, minutes from last year’s AGM and financial report. Please contact novascotiawildflora@gmail.com if you do not receive it.

Following the AGM, the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre will make a presentation of their most recent activities documenting the flora of the Maritimes.

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Trip to Smiley’s Park for Spring Ephemerals now on Sunday, May 4

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

The trip to Smiley’s will be on Sunday May 4. Both Charlie and  Bob have conflicts on Saturday so we are doing Sunday. We expect a moderate amount of rain this day.

Charles Cron will lead the trip to Smiley’s Park near Brooklyn to view the newly emerging spring ephemerals.  Some plants will be in bloom but many will still be in bud.

Approach Smiley’s from Highway 14   Exit 5 from 101 to St Croix and Three Corners or Through Mt Uniacke to Ashdale. The bridge on Clatyon Mckay road is still out: there is only one exit and entry to the park off hwy 14. Follow the road signs. Parking is outside the Park. The Nature Trust property on Meander River is also accessable from the same parking area. Plan to visit both sites. Meet at Parking area at 09:00 hrs. About 3 hrs. to see most items. Then to Hebert  River for Blue Cohosh emerging if time permits. Bring lunch or snack and water. Bring rain gear. Hiking boots or rubber boots ok.

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Upcoming Eagle Hill Online Seminar: Natural History of Insect Pollinators Ron Butler and Herb Wilson April 1–15, 2025

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Click here for details

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Member’s Zoom Meeting Monday March 24, 7:30pm: Jeremy Lundholm – Nova Scotia Barrens Vegetation: Classification, Dynamics and Comparisons with Other Regions.

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Pictures Jeremy Lundholm. Close up is of Kalmia procumbens

Jeremy will go through the recent updates to the barrens classification that was published in 2020 and discuss some of the new types that are now recognized. Then he will talk about some of the new research on dynamics: the possible role of fire and other disturbances in the creation and maintenance of some types of barrens. Finally, he’ll discuss these issues in the context of recent trips to other regions with barrens (Newfoundland & S. Labrador; Finland and Norway).

Jeremy Lundholm is a plant ecologist with a PhD from the University of Guelph. His research focuses on tidal wetland restoration, biodiversity on barrens, and vegetation classification. He works for TransCoastal Adaptations at SMU and CB Wetlands and Environmental Specialists as a Senior Research Associate.

An email will soon be sent to NSWFS members with the Zoom link.

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Nature Nova Scotia’s Celebration of Nature May 23-25, 2025

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

This year’s Celebration of Nature will be hosted by “The Cliffs of Fundy” and will be held May 23 – 25.

The Cliffs of Fundy are happy to be the Host Club for the Celebration of Nature 2025. Our Venue will be at the Debert Hospitality Centre, May 23rd, 24th, 25th. The room rates and meal rates are VERY reasonable, and we hope all the members will encourage your club members to attend. Many activities are being planned for the weekend event.

A Silent Auction will be held, with Nature Related items from $5.00 to $500.00. Many artists and friends of Nature have promised to contribute.

Jan 17th, 2025. Isle Haute in the Minas Channel was declared a National Wildlife area in the Cliffs of Fundy UNESCO Global Geopark .

Details of the event, including the schedule of activities and registration details are found here: https://naturens.ca/events/2025-celebration-of-nature/

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NSWFS will be at Seedy Saturday Feb.15

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

The Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society will have a table to promote growing native plants at Seedy Saturday at the Desbrisay Museum in Bridgewater on Saturday Feb. 15. Thanks to Rosemarie Lohnes of Helping Nature Heal for making this happen.

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NSWFS Live & Zoom Meeting: Mon Feb 24, 7:30pm – Invasive Plants in Nova Scotia – Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Bob Kennedy
European Reed -Phragmites australis australis; Armenian or Himilayan Blackberry -Rubus armeniacus;
Dog-Strangling Vine – Vincetoxicum rossicum; Damage from Emerald Ash Borer -Agrilus planipennis     Photos from NSISC

Our next meeting will be at the Museum of Natural History, 1747 Summer St., Halifax at 7:30pm on Mondy February 24. Enter by the basement door by the parking lot. The meeting will also be streamed via Zoom and a link to Zoom will be sent out to members.

For centuries, invasive plant species have been introduced to Nova Scotia. These plants threaten native biodiversity and several species at risk. This talk will discuss what makes a species invasive, highlight some particularly problematic invasive species in Nova Scotia, and outline what we can all do to help stop their spread.

Hughstin Grimshaw-Surette is from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and from an early age has had a strong interest in insects and plants. He holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and a M.Sc. in Applied Science from Saint Mary’s University. As the Terrestrial Project Coordinator for the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council, he is involved with invasive plant and insect surveys, invasive plant management, and outreach activities.

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Program for Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society Members’ Photo Night Monday Jan 27, 2025

Posted on January 21, 2025 by Bob Kennedy
Braun's Holly Fern - Polystichum braunii

Braun’s Holly Fern – Polystichum braunii

Our next member’s meeting will be on January 27 and will offer a variety of our members favourite photos.

The schedule is as follows:

Presenter Title Description
David McCorquodale Ferns of Cape Breton
Suzanne Gautier April Gardens in London, UK Kew, The Wetlands, Isabella Plantation, Physic Garden, Kyoto Garden, Gunnsbury
Emillie Rose Native Species in the Shore Up Programme Emillie is a project manager for Helping Nature Heal Inc.
Peter Steiner Shelburne burn regeneration Using pinweed (Lechea intermedia) and it’s sub-species as an an indicator of burns and other historical disturbances to the ecosystem
Charles Cron Various images from 2024
Bob Kennedy Plants of Hokkaido, Japan last October Looking at ecosystems near Sapporo with local native plants that have become invasives here

Members should have received an email invitation to the Zoom. If you have not received the link, please contact novascotiawildflora@gmail.com.

Time to renew for 2025! Membership is still $15 individual, $20 family membership. You can pay by e-transfer or cheque to novascotiawildflora@gmail.com

 

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On “A Tale of Nature’s Collaboration”

Posted on December 9, 2024 by admin

NSWFS member Norris Whiston has a passion for “distilling complex info”, at least that’s the way I would describe it. His latest: A “One-Pager” on the historical (geological) timeline for evolution of Mycorrhizae and their associations with plants.

It begins 500 MYA (Million years Ago) when “ARBUSCULAR FUNGI began to associate with liverworts, recycle and form Earth’s earliest soil”, and goes up to “[84-66 MYA]:

ORCHIDACEAE FUNGI Orchids, including lady slippers and ladies’ tresses have a special fungus. Dr. Santiago R. Ramırez (UC Davis): “Our results indicate that the most recent common ancestor of extant orchids lived in the Late Cretaceous and also suggest that the dramatic radiation of orchids began shortly after the mass extinctions at the K/T boundary. These results further support the hypothesis of an ancient origin for Orchidaceae.”

Continue reading →

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