Wild Flora and Habitat in Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society is dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of wild flora and habitat, especially in Nova Scotia. A non-profit organization and an affiliate of the North American Native Plant Society, the society welcomes all people who are interested in native flora. Members meet regularly on a social basis to host speakers, plan recreational field trips, and organize other events.
This web site serves to create awareness about the Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society, and to be a source of information for topics of interest to all wildflower enthusiasts.
Please read the President's Welcome.
Issues, Events, Workshops
Dorcas Copper butterfly at Black River Fen, Inverness Co.
John Klymko et al. recently reported occurrence of the rare Dorcas Copper butterfly (Lycaena dorcas) in a rich calcareous fen at Black River, Inverness County. It's typically associated with shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda). Read more about this butterfly and its habitat at Black River in the Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society. 
Native Plant Talk SeriesSix talks (March 1 to May 10th) at North End Library, Halifax, on gardening with native plants & pollinators, medicinal uses, permaculture, soil management, plant identification. Organized by Ecology Action Centre.
Read more
Landscape painter Mark Brennan shares scenes and sounds from the Acadian Forest in this and other video and audio recordings. The Acadian Forest, The Story So Far includes some wonderful scenes of spring ephemerals.
Deborah Wiles' Wild Flowers of Nova Scotia
Artist Deborah Wiles is creating a series of 50 paintings featuring Nova Scotia's wild flowers to raise funds for a modest International Artists' Retreat that she is building at a rural Nova Scotia site. Read more
Strathgartney Provincial Park in PEI: Good News.
Strathgartney is a protected area because it contains the last example of pure beechwood. The provincial government was considering rerouting the Trans-Canada highway through Strathgartney Provincial Park. Sharon Labchuk wrote on Dec. 15th that 2,748 people signed the petition (prv. posted here). GOOD NEWS DEC 20th: The Guardian reports After public consultations, the province will move ahead with new plans to re-align the Trans-Canada highway in Churchill, New Haven and Bonshaw without paving a portion of Strathgartney Provincial Park, says Transportation Minister Robert Vessey. "Islanders spoke, and we listened," said Vessey. "The new alignment we plan to build not only addresses safety concerns in all three communities, but it also steers clear of Strathgartney Provincial Park and nearby protected lands. We believe this new alignment greatly improves safety and efficiency, and strikes a balance between the goals of the Atlantic Gateway and the wishes of residents."
Avon Peninsula
Plans for a gypsum mine in a hotspot for species at risk stalled in 2010 but were not off the table. On Nov 14, 2011 Fundy Gypsum announced it is permanently closing the mine. It's time to pursue truly sustainable alternatives! Read more
More News (Jan 4, 2012) : A new trail at Avondale will showcase lady's slipper orchids. See Nova News.
The N.S. Dept of Natural Resources recently completed a ten year study of 1500 Forest Ecosystem Classification plots in N.S. and has published a comprehensive set of guides which are available as PDF documents: Part I: Vegetation Types, Part II: Soil Types and Part III: Ecosites.
Rosa rugosa as an invasive species on coastal sand dunes in Nova ScotiaA study published in 2010 by Nicholas Hill and colleagues documents invasion of coastal dunes on western Cape Breton Island and the mainland of northern Nova Scotia by Rosa rugosa, a common ornamental rose of east Asian origin, and provides evidence that the native dune communities are being negatively affected. They note that "In general, heavily colonized beaches were found adjacent to communities where extensive domestic planting and hedges of R. rugosa occurred and where escapes onto roadsides had occurred." See article.
New Guide to Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora
A newly released Identification and Information Guide for the Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora in Nova Scotia is available online in English and French versions.
The Guide, produced by produced by Megan Crowley (Parks Canada) and Lindsey Beals (MTRI), provides photos, descriptions and distribution maps for 87 species. See Guide.Indian Path Common: Its Flora, Fauna & History
This well illustrated guide to Indian Path Common near Lunenburg will be of interest to naturalists and others who enjoy the south shore of Nova Scotia. Copies will be available at our AGM on April 28, 2011. It includes chapters on Mosses by Anne Mills, Lichens by Frances Anderson, Fungi by Catherine Pross, the Rock Record by Barrie Clark, Birds by James Hirtle and the species lists for vascular plants, fungi, lichens, mosses & liverworts. Read moreRecent Additions
- Lonicera villosa (mountain fly-honeysuckle)
- Lonicera canadensis (American fly-honeysuckle)
- Cardamine diphylla (toothwort)
- Fraxinus nigra (black ash)
- Fragaria virginiana ssp. virginiana (Virginia strawberry)
- Pyrola americana (American wintergreen)
Now and in the FutureBy knowing our wildflowers we can better preserve them for ourselves and for the future. Wildflowers are often abundant, but they are not indestructible - many of our loveliest ones are in danger of extinction by our carelessness. This need not happen if we observe the following rules of courtesy:
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The text above is an excerpt from a book published in 1914. Even then, naturalists were concerned for the conservation of the wild flora! Source: Berniece Anderson & Arthur H Holmgren. 1914. Mountain Plants of Northeastern Utah. Logan: Utah State University. A revised edition is available online.