The Events Calendar contains information on future meetings, field trips, and workshops hosted by AKNPS. The public is invited to monthly meetings that are held the first Monday of the month, starting in October and running through May and start at 7:00 pm. Meetings are held virtually, and often are held simultaneously in person (see location details). Specially invited speakers present a topic of their choice at each meeting. AKNPS members also volunteer to provide 5-minute presentations on topics of botanical interest. Each season, we also select a plant family to study, and members present different species within that family at each meeting. Below is a map to the Campbell Creek Science Center.
AKNPS field trips typically begin in May and participants must submit a field trip waiver to the field trip leader.
Events Calendar
- May 4, 2026
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May Meeting
May 4, 2026 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Via Zoom, in person meeting TBDPlant Families: Buttercup Family: Cyrtorhyncha sections Halodes & Arcteranthus; Ranunculus subg. Pallasiantha, Coptidium, Crymodes, Batrachium & Oxygraphis, presented by Glenn Brown
Mini-Botany: Folklore Plants: Topic/Speaker TBD
Featured Presentation: Wild pollinators of Alaska: bees and flower flies, presented by Jessica RykkenZoom link is emailed to members. Non-members can request the Zoom link by emailing lborealis@aknps.org or joining our 'Meeting Link' Facebook group.
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- May 14, 2026
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Sutton Paleobotany Hike
May 14, 2026
Hike one mile with some mud & scree, to collect various plant fossils, such as leaves, cones and stems, from trees and shrubs, deciduous and coniferous, including horsetails.
Travel Plan: The road is rough and rutted, vehicles need adequate clearance and a skillful driver. The group will be limited to 7 persons, with priority for AKNPS members.
RSVP: Contact lborealis@aknps.org for instructions on how to contact trip leader Curvin Metzler.
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- May 15, 2026
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Indianhouse Ridge Trail Self-Guided Hike
May 15, 2026 - May 25, 2026
Mile 104.5 of the Seward Highway (Turnagain Arm)Small, numbered markers will be placed along the Indianhouse Ridge trail beside plants. A plant list will be shared on our website and Facebook page by May 15.
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- May 17, 2026
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Emerging Spring Plants at Windy Corner
May 17, 2026
Roadside parking at Mile 106.6, Seward HighwayEarly snowmelt on Turnagain Arm makes it one of the first places to find plant growth near Anchorage. Expect 3-4 hours, 2 miles, on the Turnagain Arm Trail, which is fairly level, but rocky in places. RSVP: It is required to contact trip leaders Dennis & Annie Ronsse [dennis (dot) ronsse (at) gmail (dot) com] to reserve a spot. Non-ANPS members welcome, but due to narrow trail, this trip will be limited to 10 participants with priority given to AKNPS members.
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- May 23, 2026
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Wildflower Garden Work Party
May 23, 2026 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Campbell Creek Science Center, 5600 Science Center Dr, Anchorage, AK 99507, USAJoin Alaska Native Plant Society volunteers who are maintaining the Campbell Creek Science Center’s wildflower gardens. Join a morning and/or afternoon shift, with lunch and gardening equipment provided. Please RSVP at https://bit.ly/CCSC-Work-Parties.
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Family Hike at Eagle River Nature Center
May 23, 2026 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
A hike especially for families with kids, expect 3-4 hours (3 miles round trip) looking for fairy slipper orchids.
RSVP: It is required to contact trip leader Jeanne Osnas [jldosnas (at) gmail (dot) com] to reserve a spot.
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- May 27, 2026
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Alaska Native Plant Month Walk - Rodak Trail
May 27, 2026 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Beth Baker will lead a 2-3 mile hike around the Rodak Trail with a botany focus talking about the boreal forest and plant adaptations while pointing out flowers and trees. The hike is sponsored by the Eagle River Nature Center in celebration of May as Alaska Native Plant Month.
Registration required: $5/person, limited to 20 participants. Register at this link.
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Meeting Location
AKNPS currently holds its monthly member meetings via Zoom and in-person. Some meetings may be virtual (Zoom) only to accommodate remote speakers. Please reference meeting information in the calendar below or in member emails. In-person meetings are held at the Campbell Creek Science Center (see map below). Members will receive emails containing information to access the webinars prior to meeting dates. In-person and virtual meetings are also open to the public. If you would like to listen to a virtual meeting, please email the webmaster requesting the meeting information.
