NANPS AGMs & Socials

2026 NANPS AGM

Date: Thursday September 24th, 2026
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm EDT
Location: Online

Join us for the online NANPS AGM on Thursday, September 24th. We’ll share some highlights from the past year, welcome new board members, and hear from Sullivan Dyment on how to stop the spread of invasive jumping worms, which pose a serious threat to biodiversity in Ontario. All are welcome to attend but only members have voting privileges. Register to receive the Zoom link here.

2026 AGM Agenda:

1. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – 6pm

2. WELCOME AND CALL TO ORDER – 6:05pm

3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA & MINUTES OF PAST AGM – 6:10pm

4. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – 6:15pm

5. APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR – 6:20pm

6. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS – 6:25pm

7. PRESIDENT’S REPORT – 6:30pm

8. YEAR IN REVIEW – 6:40pm

9. Q & A – 6:50pm

10. ADJOURNMENT – 6:55pm

We will vote on these items:
2025 Financial Statements
2025 AGM Minutes

The webinar on jumping worms with speaker Sullivan Dyment of York University will begin after the AGM and run from 7-8pm.

Speaker bio: Sullivan Dyment is an environmental researcher, illustrator, and grassroots advocate based in Toronto. A graduate of York University’s Master of Environmental Studies program, Sullivan’s work centres on citizen-led environmental stewardship, soil health advocacy, and biosecurity policy frameworks to protect native ecosystems from soil-borne vectors. Prompted by an encounter with invasive jumping worms in Toronto, their work pivoted to how the species is a key to exposing critical policy gaps in Canada and serves as a vital impetus for citizen awareness. A certified pollinator steward and community gardening activist, they combine ecological knowledge with visual storytelling—authoring resources and educational materials dedicated to preserving native flora and promoting resilient urban landscapes. Sullivan’s message is that through both citizen action and simple biosecurity protocols around gardening, an informed Canadian public can avert some of the worst disasters our American counterparts have encountered as the ravages of the jumping worm move north.

2025 NANPS AGM

Thanks to those who attended the 2025 NANPS AGM!

NANPS  2025  AGM  AGENDA, October 16, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

1.Business Basics 6:00 – 6:20pm

• Welcome and land acknowledgment
• Quorum and Agenda, motion and vote
• 2024 AGM minutes, motion and vote
• Financial Report, motion and vote

2. Year in Review 6:20pm – 6:30pm

3. Meet Your Board, motion and vote 6:30pm – 6:40pm

5. Video Garden Contest 6:40pm – 6:50pm

• Playing a Video montage of the submissions
• Award to Recipients

6. Closing Remarks + Q&A 6:50pm – 7:00pm

7. Speaker: Anthony Ayers 7:00 – 8:00pm

Cities are the Place to Bee: The Role of the City in Shaping Bee Communities and Native Bee Understanding – Talk by Anthony Ayers.

Anthony Ayers, our guest speaker, shared his presentation

While always intrigued by insects, Anthony’s love of bees was realized as an undergraduate student after his advisor at the time, Nancy Cowden, opened his eyes to how wonderfully diverse and unique native bees can be. It was also during this time that his adoration for native plants developed as there was an immediate understanding that neither native bees nor native wildflowers could exist without the other. Nearly seven years later, Anthony has since completed his MSc in the Rehan Lab at York University where he continues as a third year PhD candidate studying urban bee ecology. His work explores multiple ways in which bees respond to the urban environment with the broader goal of developing ways of preserving biodiversity during a time in which urbanization continues unabated.

2024 NANPS AGM

Date: Saturday October 26, 2024
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm EDT
Location: Online
Anyone from across North America is welcome to attend but only members have voting privileges.

NANPS 2024 AGM Agenda
1. Business Basics 1:00 – 1:30 pm

2. Year in Review

3. Update from the Land Management Committee

4. Ontario Seed Orchards Project– Talk by Stefan Weber 1:45 – 2:15 pm

5. Volunteer of the Year award

6. Video Garden Contest

7. Closing Remarks, Q & A

Stefan Weber, our guest speaker, shared his presentation including:
1. Seed Strategies US/Around the World (Background)
2. Canadian National and Southern Ontario Strategies (Native Plant Policy in Canada)
3. Starting a Seed Production Area
4. Fundamentals of Seed Saving.

Stefan has worked with seeds for more than fifteen years– in the lab, field and nursery. He has conducted research on local adaptation, and pollination ecology. He also has a background in popular science writing, and environmental education, and has spent the past eight years advocating for seed conservation to all levels of government with the Ontario Biodiversity Council, Carolinian Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Federation. Stefan currently coordinates the Seed and Climate Change Program with the Forest Gene Conservation Association including Certified Seed Collector training.

2023 NANPS AGM

Date: Saturday October 28, 2023
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm EDT
Location: Online

2022 NANPS AGM

Date: Saturday October 29, 2022
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm EDT
Location: Online

Agenda: each section is approximately 30 minutes

1. Business Basics
– financial report by treasurer and auditor
– voting in of 2022-2023 board and thanks to departing directors
– recap of last year’s activities with video segment

2. Discussion about NANPS properties, particularly the possibility to sell Shining Tree Woods to Long Point Basin Land Trust
– introduction and brief visual presentation
– discussion by membership, including time for questions

3. Discussion about NANPS forming a public advocacy strategy for naturalized gardens in the wake of bylaw infractions and the climate crisis

4. Video Garden Contest
– playing of top entries
– awarding of 2022 prizes

2021 NANPS AGM

Date: Saturday October 23, 2021
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 pm EDT
Location: Online

2021 Native Garden Video Contest

Congratulations to the Finalists of the native garden video contest.
Individual:
First prize
Sayeh Beheshti, Toronto Ontario

Finalists
Brenda Near, Zephyr, Ontario
Kimberlee Adams, Mulmur, Ontario
John Magee, Middleburg, Virginia

Institution:
Highlands Biological Station, Highlands North Carolina

2020 NANPS AGM

Date: Saturday October 24, 2020
Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT
Location: Online

The 2020 annual general meeting was held via Zoom, allowing long-distance members to “attend”, some for the first time. Sixty native plant enthusiasts from Sarnia, Hamilton, Windsor, Montreal and Greater Toronto Area tuned in.

Group Chat Discussion Topic: What are the major issues (positive and negative) you are facing regarding native plants in your local area?

2020 Native Garden Video Contest

Congratulations to the Finalists and Grand Prize winner of the native garden video contest. The videos are still available to view on our social media; Instagram Twitter and Facebook.

Grand Prize
1) Sayeh, Toronto

Finalists, in order of time of submission
1) Dylan & Cassandra, Niagara Falls
2) Laura, Whitchurch-Stouffville
3) Mike, Chatham-Kent
4) Baz, Peterborough
5) Kimberlee, Mulmur

2019 NANPS AGM

Date: Saturday October 26, 2019
Location: Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Ave. E, Toronto ON

2018 NANPS AGM & Social

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2018 AGM & Social at the Toronto Botanical Garden. This year NANPS partnered with Ontario Nature and hosted their Ontario North Regional meeting as part of our AGM.

The NANPS Volunteer Award went to two invaluable volunteers this year: Dilys Bowman and Ryan Godfrey, who both generously contribute their time, extensive knowledge and enthusiasm for native plants with NANPS.

The 2018 Founders Conservation Award was presented to Riverwood Conservancy, a 150-acre property in Mississauga, Ontario. Their focus is on gardens, stewardship, native plant propagation and environmental education. The conservancy provides a beautiful green space open to the public every day of the year.

Paul Heydon was the recipient of the Richard Woolger Cultivation Award. Paul is a biologist and landscape designer who operates Grow Wild!, a small company that provides biological consulting, ecological restoration, ELC surveying and contract growing for native tree and plant restoration projects. He will lead a seed cultivation workshop on March 2, 2019.

The 2018 NANPS Garden Award went to Susan Beharriell, a King City, Ontario gardener whose property includes pollinator-friendly gardens, a pond, walking trails and more. Susan gave a presentation on the steps she took planning and planting her garden.

We are grateful to Alan Colley, of Toronto Aboriginal EcoTours for leading a hike through the ravines of Wilket Creek Park.

Thank you also to our partners at In The Zone Gardens and the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, for having their information booths (& native plants!) at the event.

2017 NANPS AGM

November 4, 2017
Thank you to our members, volunteers and Board members for making our AGM & Social a great day! Over 60 people joined us Saturday November 4th at the Toronto Botanical Garden to learn what NANPS has accomplished over the year, to honour volunteers and Board members, and listen to our keynote speaker.
Dr. Jon Johnson, of First Story Toronto, presented an engaging talk on the Indigenous Environmental History of Toronto. Through maps, pictures, and stories, Jon walked us through the geography, languages, people, animals and plants of the area we now think of as Toronto. Even if you missed the AGM, visit First Story Toronto to learn about their work, download their smartphone app that will introduce you to Toronto’s Indigenous history, or to book a walking or bus tour in a Toronto neighbourhood!

The 2017 Richard Woolger Cultivation Award Winner was Karen Abrahams of Native Plants in Claremont, and the Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Karen Boniface.

2016 NANPS AGM

October 15, 2016
Our 2016 AGM took place at the Toronto Botanical Garden. Harry Jongerden, Executive Director, spoke about plans and aspirations for “The New TBG: A 21st Century Botanic Garden” which would include more naturalized areas and native plants. He began with a question “So what is a botanical garden anyway?” Within this context, the purposes of education, conservation, science and display are blended together in a shift towards ecosystems and less on unique and exotic species.

Board member, Adam Mohamed, paid tribute to our founder, Jim French, by speaking of Jim’s many accomplishments and contributions to the native plant world. A Celebration of Jim’s Life was held by his family concurrently with the AGM. Jim was and will be greatly missed, especially as a regular speaker at our AGM. In 1986, Jim had the imagination to found an organization to appreciate, cultivate and protect native plants, now known as NANPS. He was its first president and was a director for many years. He was instrumental in acquiring Shining Tree Woods and Zincan Cove. He created a native plant Eden at his Stoney Lake cottage property which he gradually transformed into a nature preserve, he became known locally as “Wildflower Willie”.

The Garden Award was presented to Paul Nichols of Oakville. To see before and after photos go to garden awards. The Volunteer Award was presented to Alexandrina Canto Thaler for her many years of volunteering.

The keynote speaker, Brandon Larson, Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, spoke about “Redefining our Relationship with Nature: The Case of Invasive Species.”

2015 NANPS AGM

October 3, 2015
NANPS was pleased to present the first Richard Woolger Cultivation Award. Miriam Henriques gave a brief overview about the award, and Richard’s connection and relevance to NANPS, especially his ability to successfully cultivate woodland plants, which are often rare and difficult. The recipient of the award is Feter Fuller of Fuller Native and Rare Plants Nursery in Belleville, Ontario. Peter was very appreciative for this recognition of his work. He spoke about his nursery (six years in operation) and some of the techniques used in propagation native plants, and particularly how well some species responded to mycorrhizal inoculated seed mixes. He expressed keen interest in future connections with NANPS.

Volunteer Award was presented to Anne Butt and Peter Kelly.

Jeffrey Milgram, our auditor, presented the financial report as well as showing us some of his mushroom photos and stories from his foraging experiences.

Susan Walmer gave an overview about the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust. She included a special recognition and thank you to Darcy McKelvey who has placed an easement on her property with ORMLT. Darcy has been a long time member of NANPS as well as former board member.

Susan Chan, a pollination biologist and expert on native bees,gave a very well informed presentation Native Plants from a Bee’s Perspective. She spoke about our native bees, and how they impact the creation of the all important seeds. She followed up with a discussion on the impact and dangers inherent in the use of neonics on plants and subsequently on our bee populations. In her role as program manager of “Farms at Work”, Susan works with regional farmers and landowners to protect and encourage wild pollinators.

2014 NANPS AGM

November 15, 2014
We are pleased to acknowledge our North American Native Plant Society Award winners for 2014:

Garden Award winner Alan Bell with presenter Greg Hagen

Paul Foster with his NANPS Garden Award (Honourable Mention)

Garden Award Winner Angelique-Marie Mori

Click on the image above to see a thank you message from Red Mountain Campus.

The North American Native Plant Society would also like to acknowledge Vivienne Denton, co-winner of our Volunteer of the Award who was unable to attend the ceremony at our annual general meeting.