A non-profit organization to promote the study and conservation of Alaska native plants.
The Alaska Native Plant Society (AKNPS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to studying and conserving Alaska native plants. General membership meetings are open to the public and are held on the first Monday of every month from October through May. Various guest speakers give presentations on topics related to native plants and AKNPS members give informative slide shows, plant family, and mini- botany talks. During our October meeting, members share photos from their summer adventures. See our Recent News to learn about recent activities.
There are numerous volunteer opportunities including leading public hikes, invasive plants control, plantings and cooperative work with other local groups. Local events are listed on the Upcoming Events page.
General Information
The Alaska Native Plant Society was formed in 1982 by a small group of enthusiastic amateur and professional botanists for the purpose of educating Alaskans about their native flora and the growing need for its protection. We accomplish this through:
- Monthly meetings, held on the first Monday of each month, October through May (with occasional exceptions due to holidays), at 7 PM via Zoom and/or in person at the Campbell Creek Science Center in Anchorage. All interested persons are welcome.
- Field Trips, ranging from half day local outings to multi-day excursions throughout Alaska. Some prior trips have been to Kodiak, Seldovia, Chitina / Kennicott, and Denali National Park.
- Displays at local malls during “Celebrating Wildflowers” periods.
- Publication of Borealis, our bi-monthly newsletter for members, October through May.
- Compilation of Alaskan flora references in a bibliography.
- Recommended publications for Alaskans interested in collecting seed and propagating native plants.
- This website which is an ongoing project for which volunteers are welcome.
Recent News
The University of Alaska Fairbanks and Kuskokwim Campus UAF are offering botany and ethnobotany classes in the spring semester. Please direct all questions to the instructors listed in the flyers below.
Interested in learning about wild and wonderful moonworts (Botrychium)? Want to increase your knowledge about Alaska's aquatic and medicinal plants?
If so, join the Alaska Native Plant Society Meeting tomorrow (Monday, Dec 2) in person and via Zoom. We will host a 6 pm holiday potluck at the Campbell Creek Science Center for in-person attendees. Please bring a dish! The member meeting begins at 7 pm, with a short business meeting and the following speaker program:
+ Featured Presentation: “Moonwort Madness," by Cindy Johnson
+ Plant Families: Aquatic Plants, Ranunculaceae (Buttercup), by Marilyn Barker
+ Medicinal Plants: Chamaenerion angustifolium (Fireweed), presented by Beth Baker
Non-members who want to join the meeting via Zoom can join our "Meeting Link" group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/480059036764461 to obtain the meeting link.
If you would like to receive regular email announcements from the Alaska Native Plant Society and our Borealis newsletter, become a member! Learn more and sign up at https://aknps.org/membership.
Moonwort photo: Courtesy AKNPS member Susan Boersma
Interested in learning about lingonberry/lowbush cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)? Want to increase your knowledge about Alaska's aquatic and medicinal plants?
If so, we hope you'll join our Alaska Native Plant Society Meeting on November 4 at 7 p.m., Alaska time, via Zoom. Our speaker program will begin after a short business meeting including the election of board officers.
+ Featured Presentation: “Lingonberries," presented by Dr. Patricia Holloway
+ Plant Families: Aquatic Plants, Ceratophyllaceae (hornwort family), presented by Glenn Brown
+ Mini-Botany: Medicinal Plants, Rosa acicularis, presented by Debbie Hinchey
Non-members who want to join the meeting via Zoom can join our "Meeting Link" group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/480059036764461 to obtain the meeting link.
If you would like to receive regular email announcements from the Alaska Native Plant Society and our Borealis newsletter, become a member! Learn more and sign up at https://aknps.org/membership.
The Alaska Native Plant Society's first meeting of Fall 2024 is tomorrow (Monday, Oct. 7), via Zoom, and in person at the Campbell Creek Science Center in Anchorage (5600 Science Center Drive).
We will host a 6 pm potluck for in-person attendees. Please bring a dish! This is also an opportunity to drop off seed donations for our upcoming winter native seed distribution program. (see instructions below)
The meeting will start at 7 p.m. We'll have 10-15 minutes of club business, after which members are invited to share and discuss up to 10 native plant photos they took in 2024.
The public is invited to attend in person or via Zoom. Non-members who want to join the meeting via Zoom can join our "Meeting Link" group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/480059036764461 to obtain the meeting link.
If you would like to receive regular email announcements from the Alaska Native Plant Society and our Borealis newsletter, become a member! Learn more and sign up at https://aknps.org/membership. Membership dues paid October-December apply to 2025.
* Donated seed must be in bulk paper envelopes or small seed packets that are clearly marked with common and scientific name and year collected. 2024 collected seed is preferred.
📷 of various Alaska native plants in 2024, courtesy Elizabeth Bluemink
Every year on #NationalPublicLandsDay, the Alaska Native Plant Society hosts a wildflower garden work party to winterize the gardens at Bureau of Land Management - Alaska's Campbell Creek Science Center. This year, we're also inviting volunteers to participate in planting native wildflowers provided by the Anchorage Soil & Water Conservation District. You can sign up here to join us on Saturday, Sept. 28! https://bit.ly/CCSC-Work-Parties (scroll to bottom and click on the green button)
We're looking for a few more volunteers to join this week's Alaska Native Plant Society's wildflower garden work parties at the Campbell Creek Science Center in Anchorage.
Join us either:
+ Wednesday (Aug. 28), 5:30-7:30 pm
+ Friday (Aug. 30), 9 am-12 pm
Learn more & sign up here: https://bit.ly/CCSC-Work-Parties
