Backyard botanists and flora fanatics have a chance this week to learn more about identifying wild plants, and hear from experts about the botanical discoveries being made in Northern B.C.

Dr. Ken Marr, curator of botany at the Royal BC Museum, is in Fort St. John for a number of free community events June 14 and 15.

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They include a pair of hands-on workshops at Northern Lights College on both days for locals to learn how to identify plants in the wild. The workshops are suitable for everyone from beginners to specialists, and will review basic terminology, the use of plant ID “keys,” and features one can use to ID plant families, the museum says.

The workshops take place in Room 154 of the college from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 14 and 15, and include includes morning and afternoon breaks, as well as a lunch break.

The workshops are almost full, and those interested are asked to register by emailing peaceproject@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or by calling 250-793-5304.

On June 15, Marr will deliver a free lecture at the library about recent plant discoveries in the high reaches of Northern BC.

The presentation will feature the landscapes in which Marr and his Royal BC Museum colleagues have collected rare plants, common plants, and a pseudoflower. Marr will also talk about a puzzling gap in the distribution of several plant species and what researchers are learning from DNA markers about the migration of several species.

The lecture takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the library. No registration is required.

The events are part of the Royal BC Museum’s PEACE project, which exists to collaborate, share knowledge and discuss environmental stewardship in Northeast B.C. More information on the project can be found at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/peace-project.

Both the workshops and the lecture are being presented with the support of the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, the Royal BC Museum Foundation, and the Northern Lights College Foundation.